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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 

MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IViicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/buriedcitiesrecoOOdeliaricli 


nWV.  FRANIK  S.riETIA-SS,  ID.D. 


BURIED  CITIES  RECOVERED, 


OR. 


E^^ploration^  in  BiWe  Land^, 


GIVING   THE    RESULTS    OF    RECENT    RESEARCHES    IN  THE  ORIENT,  AND  RECOVERY 

OF   MANY    PLACES    IN   SACRED   AND    PROFANE   HISTORY 

LONG   CONSIDERED    LOS  . 


Iflliistratcil  wiih  ^ctt%p^<t|i«  J  Jfumcrous  <r)nginal'}|ngiiaimgs. 


FRANK  S.  DeHASS,  D.  D. 

Member  of  the  American  Geographical  Society,  and  late  United  States  Co7isul  in  Palestine. 

FIFTH  EDITION,   WITH  APPENDIX: 

CONTAINING   A    FULL   A.CCOUNT   OF   EGYPT   AND   THE   EGYPTIANS,  RISE  AND  FALL 
OF   EMPIRES    IN   THE    LIGHT   OF   PROPHECY,   AND   WONDERFUL   CON- 
FIRMATION   OF    REVELATION   BY   LATE   DISCOVERIES. 


BRADLEY,    GARRETSON   &    CO., 
66   NORTH    FOURTH    STREET,    PHILADELPHIA. 

BRANTFORD,     ONT. 


WILLIAM   GARRETSON   &    CO., 

COLUMBUS,     O.  ;     CHICAGO,     ILLS.;     NASHVILLE,     TENN.; 

ST.     LOUIS,     MO.;     SAN     FRANCISCO,     CAL. 

1883. 


Copyright  by  F.  S.  DeHass,  D.  D.,  18S2. 
All  rights  reserved. 


JJ^     I  Ub 


D^ 


DEDICATION. 


TO  MY  NUMEROUS  FRIENDS, 

WHO    UATK    REQUESTED    THE    PUBLICATION   OF    THESE    8KETCHKS; 

TO  THE  WIFE  OF  MY  YOUTH, 

WHO   ACCOMPANIED  ME  IN  ALL   MY  TRAVELS  THROUGH  THE    ORIKST  ; 

TO  MY  AGED  MOTHER, 

WHO    EARLY    TURNED    MY    WAYWARD    FEET    INTO    THE    PATH    OF    LIKE; 
TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

MY  HONORED  AND  SAINTED  FATHER, 

WHO,  AS  HIS  SON   WAS    EXPLORING  THE  EARTHLY,  PEACEFULLY  DEPARTED 
FOR    THE    HEATENLY,    CANAAN  ; 

AND      ABOVE      ALL, 

TO    GOD, 

WHO  HATH  GRACIOUSLY  PRESERVED  ME  IN  ALL  MY  JOURNEYINGS  AT   HOMI 

AND  ABROAD, 

I    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATE 

Tbis  Souvenir  of  the  i^^olg  Land 


W^^'^GS 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIFTH  EDmON. 


The  demand  for  this  book  lias  been  so  great,  a  Fifth  Edition, 
revised  and  enlarged,  is  herewith  issued,  giving  the  very  latest 
researches  in  the  East.  Thongh  much  has  been  written  on  the 
history,  geography  and  antiquity  of  these  countries,  much  more 
remains  to  be  written,  as  every  day  new  discoveries  are  being 
made. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  author  when  writing  his  "  Travels 
and  Explorations  in  Bible  Lands,"  to  prepare  a  companion 
volume  on  the  Buried  Cities  of  the  Old  World.  He,  however, 
instead  of  this,  has  enlarged  his  recent  work  by  an  Appendix, 
containing  the  latest  discoveries  made  in  Egypt,  Assyria,  Chal- 
dsea,  Asia  Minor,  Greece  and  Italy,  thus  engrossing  the  whole 
in  one  royal  octavo  volume  without  additional  cost. 

During  the  last  half  century  Europe  and  America  have  been 
vying  with  each  other  in  the  recovery  of  lost  arts,  lost  languages 
and  lost  cities ;  while  the  Church  has  been  looking  anxiously 
on  to  see  how  far  the  discoveries  made  agree  with  Revelation. 
The  results  of  these  explorations  are  embodied  in  this  work, 
which  furnishes  in  concise  form  a  great  amount  of  valuable 
information  not  readily  obtained  from  other  sources. 

We  have  changed  the  title  to  "  Buried  Cities  Recovered,'* 
as  it  better  expresses  the  present  character  of  the  book.  Still 
we  do  not  publish  our  Explorations  as  a  scientific  work  for 
the  antiquarian,  but  as  a  humble  contribution  to  Biblical 
archseology  for  the  home  circle,  believing  that  such  a  volume 
will  add  greatly  to  our  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  the 
Scriptures. 

The  Author. 

New  Youk,  Novemher,  1882. 


INTRODUCTION. 

rpiTE  author's  object  in  accepting  an  appointment  under  the 
-L  United  States  Government,  and  making  his  home  for 
several  years  in  Palestine,  was  not  the  honor  or  emoluments  of 
ofiice  ;  but  a  desire  to  visit  the  lands  of  the  Bible,  that  he  might 
examine  and  see  for  himself  how  far  the  manners,  en?toius,  and 
traditions  of  the  people  and  topography  of  tliose  countries, 
agreed  with  the  inspired  word. 

The  sketches  embraced  in  this  volume  were  originally  written 
for  the  author's  own  gratification,  amidst  the  vivid  scenes 
where  the  events  described  occurred  ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
fact  that  almost  every  place  mentioned  in  the  Bible  where 
any  great  event  transpired  may  still  be  visited  and  identified, 
and  generally  identified  by  their  old  Hebrew  names  in  the 
Arabic  form — a  most  wonderful  philological  corroboration 
of  the  Biblical  narrative. 

Recent  explorations  in  the  East  have  resulted  in  the  re- 
covery of  many  places  in  sacred  history  long  regarded  as 
lost ;  and  as  the  facts  brought  out  by  these  explorations  are 
not  accessible  to  the  general  reader,  the  author  has  compiled 
them  in  this  concise  form,  and  at  the  request  of  numerous 
friends  gives  them  to  the  public  in  the  hope  that  they  may 
contribute  in  some  degree  to  the  elucidation  of  the  Scriptures, 
con*ect  some  of  the  errors  that  many  travelei-s  liave  fallen  into 


10  mTRODUCTION. 

by  a  too  hasty  or  superficial  view  of  the  places  visited,  and 
furnish  all  students  of  the  Bible  with  the  results  of  the  latest 
researches  in  these  lands,  so  full  of  sacred  and  historic  lore. 

Personally,  the  author  does  not  claim  to  have  made  all  these 
discoveries;  but,  having  visited  and  carefully  examined  the 
excavations  made  by  Mariette  Bey  in  Egypt,  Dr.  Schliemann 
at  Troy,  Dr.  Wood  in  Asia  Minor,  and  General  Cesnola  on 
Cyprus,  and  having  been  with  Warren,  Wilson,  Drake,  Gan- 
neau,  Conder,  Maudslay,  and  others,  in  and  around  Jerusalem 
— also  having  traveled  with  Dr.  Strong's  party  through  Moab, 
and  followed  Dr.  Porter  through  the  Hauran — he  writes  from 
observations  personally  made,  relying,  however,  in  some  in- 
stances, for  the  correctness  of  his  statements  on  the  surveys 
and  investigations  of  the  eminent  archseologists  named. 

Palestine,  the  great  center  of  rehgious  interest,  though 
comparatively  a  small  mountainous  country,  has,  nevertheless, 
been  the  theater  of  the  most  stirring  and  momentous  events  in 
the  history  of  our  world.  Learned  divines,  historians,  and  anti- 
quarians for  ages  have  been  visiting  this  land,  giving  us  glowing 
descriptions  of  their  travels  and  the  results  of  their  investiga- 
tions, until  our  libraries  teem  with  volumes  on  these  subjects ; 
and  yet  the  desire  to  know  more  about  this  country  was  never 
greater  than  at  present.  No  other  land  is  so  fruitful  a  theme 
for  meditation  or  so  hallowed  in  its  associations  ;  and,  what  is 
remarkable,  it  never  loses  its  interest.  The  whole  country 
seems  to  breathe  an  inspiration,  and  to  the  devout  mind  is 
fragrant  with  the  most  sacred  memories. 

The  scene  of  God's  revelations  to  man,  the  land  that  sug- 


mTRODUOnON.  11 

gested  to  tlie  Jewish  prophets  their  beautiful  imagery,  and  to 
the  great  Teacher  illustrations  of  his  doctrines  and  narratives, 
can  no  more  be  exhausted  than  Deity  himself.  The  more  we 
read  and  know  about  Palestine  the  more  interest  it  awakens. 
The  influence  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  the  glory  of  his  per- 
sonal presence,  seem  to  pervade  the  whole  land,  and  the  weary 
footprints  of  the  "  Man  of  Sorrows "  are  too  deeply  stamped 
upon  its  rocks  ever  to  be  effaced. 

The  writer's  official  position,  and  his  connection  with  the 
American  and  English  Palestine  Exploration  Societies,  afforded 
him  many  facilities  in  his  researches  he  otherwise  could  not 
have  enjoyed :  and  under  the  conviction  that  these  investiga- 
tions must  tend  to  further  corroborate  the  inspired  record,  and 
that  every  new  volume  written  on  the  subject  must  add  to  the 
knowledge  and  strengthen  the  faith  of  all  lovers  of  the  truth,  he 
casts  these  fresh  leaves  on  the  waters,  with  the  sincere  prayer 
that  they  may  not  return  void,  but  correct  in  some  measure 
the  perverse  tendency  of  the  age  to  doubt  the  credibility  of 
God's  Holy  Word. 

F.  S.  DE  Hass. 

N»w  York,  April,  1 880. 


CONTENTS 


PART  I. 

EGYPT,   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO  THE   BIBLE. 
CHAPTER   I. 

PAtl 

OCR  Inheritance  in  Egypt — The  Bible  Written  on  hkr  Monuments 23 

CHAPTER   II. 
Alexandria — Seat  of  Greek  Philosophy  and  Christian  Theology 38 

CHAPTER   III. 
Heliopolis,  Pyramids,  and  Colossal  Sphinx 42 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Memphis,  the  Noph  ok  Scripture — Necropolis  of  Egypt 68 

CHAPTER   V. 
Thebes,  the  No-amon  of  the  Bible — Grand  Temple  o?  Earnak  . .  ....     60 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Island  of  Phil^  Last  Seat  of  Egyptian  Idolatry 81 

CHAPTER   VII. 
The  Exodus — Passage  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  Wilderness  of  Wandering 9Q 

PART  11. 

THE   LAND   OF   ISRAEL. 

CHAPTER   I. 
Thk  Promised  Land — Its  Early  Inhabitants  and  Conquest 109 

CHAPTER   II. 
Jaffa  to  Jerusalem — Tent  Life  in  the  Holy  Land 119 


CONTENTS.  13 

CHAPTER    IIL 

VAOM 

CnTT  OP  THE  Great  Kino — A  Walk  about  Zion 133 

CHAPTER   IV. 
MoRiAH — The  Mountain  or  the  Lord's  House — Solomon's  Temple. 14ft 

CHAPTER   V. 
Golgotha  and  Tomb  of  Christ — Traditional  Sites J  60 

CHAPTER  VI. 
RoiAi,  Sepulcher  op  the  House  of  David — Rock-hewn  Tombs 172 

CHAPTER   VII. 
Easter  Festivities  in  Jerusalem — Solemn  Mockeries 188 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
Bethlehem,  and  Hill  Country  of  Judea — Locusts  and  Wild  Honey 191 

CHAPTER   IX. 
Pools  of  Solomon — Cave  of  Adullam — Tomb  of  Herod 202 

CHAPTER   X. 
Hebron— Cave  of  Machpelah — Beer-siieba— Well  of  Abraham 218 

CHAPTER   XI. 
Land  of  the  Philistines — An  Extinct  Race 224 

CHAPTER   XII. 
Sea-coast  of  Palestine — Plain  of  Sharon — Ancient  Ttrs 233 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
Mount  Carmel — Scene  of  Elijah's  Sacrifice — Convent  and  Grotto 244 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
From  Jerusalem  to  Damascus— Bethel — Jacob's  Well — Galilee 263 

CHAPTER   XV. 
Down  to  Jericho— Valley  of  the  Jordan— Plain  of  Giloal 278 


14  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

rxem 
The  Dead  Ska— Cities  of  the  Plain— Lot's  Wife 294 

CHAPTER   XVII. 
Fortress  of  Masada,  Engkdi,  and  Cliff  of  Ziz 80» 

PART  III. 

TRANS-JORDAN  IC    PALESTINE. 

CHAPTER    I. 
The  Land  of  Moab— Fortress  of  MACHJiuus — Prison  of  John  the  Baptist.  .  816 

CHAPTER   II. 
Hot  Springs  of  Caxirrhoe — Moabite  Stone  and  Pottery 82» 

CHAPTER   III. 
Mount  Pisoah— Grand  Outlook  from  its  Summit 341 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Land  of  Gilkad — Rkmakkablk  Ruins— Wild  Sons  of  Ishmakl 360 

CHAPTER   V. 
Stone  Cities  of  Bashan  and  the  Hauran — Gia.nt  Races 866 

CHAPTER   VI. 
The  Land  of  Uz — Traditional  Palace  of  Job 382 

CHAPTER    Vn. 
Argob  and  Padan-aram — Haran  probably  in  Syria 898 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
Latest  Discoveries  in  Assyria  and  Palestine — Recovery  of  Nineveh 404 

CHAPTER    IX. 
Homeward  Bound — Damascus — Baalbkc — Ephksus — Athens 481 

APPEXDIX. 
Egypt  and  the  Egyptians- Rise  axd  Fall  of  Empires— CoxcLusiOir 451 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Aaron's  Tomb 171 

Adonis,  River 440 

Adullam,  Cave  of 207 

Alexandria,  Modem 34 

Ali  Diab,  Sheik  of  the  Adwans 351 

American  Consulate,  Jerusalem Frontispiece 

Apis,  or  Sacred  Bull 57 

Arabs  Eating 352 

Arak  el  Emir,  Rock-hewn  Palace 356 

Arch,  Ecce  Homo 134 

Askeloii,  Ruins  of 228 

Assyrian  Black  Obelisk 41] 

Assyrian  Sculpture  and  Seals 408,  409,  414,  415 

Assyrian  Tablet  of  the  Deluge 412 

Baalbec,  Great  Stone 436 

Baalbec,  Ruins  of  Temple 430 

Baal,  Head  of 385 

Banias,  Grotto  and  Source  of  the  Jordan 274 

Bedouin  Camp 852 

Beelzebub,  Image  of 425 

Beersheba 221 

Bethlehem,  Church  of  the  Nativity 189 

Bloody  Way 279 

Bozrah,  Ruins  of 378 

Bridge,  Natural,  Mt.  Lebanon 44 1 

Bridge,  Robinson's 150 

Calirrhoe,  Hot  Springs 331 

Camels,  Ships  of  the  Desert 97 

Camp  Life  in  the  Holy  Land 112 

Capernaum  and  Sea  of  Galilee 269 

Castle  of  Subeibeh,  Mount  Hermon 276 

Cave  under  Dome  of  the  Rock 152 

Cedars  of  Lebanon 438 

Cesarea  Pliilippi,  Biuiias 272 


16  LIST   OF   LLLUSTEATIONS. 

Church  of  the  Ascension 141 

Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher. 161 

Coins,  Ancient  Jewish,  Widow's  Mite 312 

Colossal  Statues,  Thebes 75 

Convent  of  St.  Catharine 99 

©rucifixion 185 

Damascus,  View  of •  •  •  •  482 

Damascus,  Wall  and  East  Gate - 488 

Dead  Sea,  from  Engedi 310 

Donkey  of  Alexandria 8T 

Down  to  Jericho 280 

Dromedary  Riding 271 

Egyptian  Boat,  Ancient 41 

Egyptian  Brick 73 

Egyptian  Funeral 59 

Egyptian  Gate-way 21 

Egyptian  Remains,  Island  of  PhilaB 79 

Egyptian  Sculpture — Hebrews  Making  Brick 26,  86 

Egyptian  Temple,  Exterior. 69 

Egyptian  Temple,  Interior 31 

El  Aksa,  Temple  Inclosure 158 

El  Kuzneh,  Petra 103 

Engedi  and  Cliff  of  Ziz 310 

Ephesus,  Ruins  of 444 

Fish  Pools  of  Heshbon 321 

Flight  into  Egypt 24 

Flint  Knives,  from  Tomb  of  Joshua 284 

Ford  of  the  Jordan. 285 

Fountain  at  Tomb  of  Dorcas 182 

Gadara,  Ruins 363 

Gate  of  Damascus,  Jerusalem 254 

Gate-way  of  the  Sik,  Petra 102 

Gethsemane  and  Olivet 138 

Golden  Gate,  Temple  of  Solomon. 14b 

Grapes  of  Palestine 365 

Great  Sea  under  Temple  Court 147 

Grecian  Temple — Hauran 392 

Grinding  at  the  Mill 136 

Hadrian's  Statue,  Head  of 427 

Ilaggai's  Seal 154 

Hebrew  Inscriptions 422 

Hebron 219 

Hezekiah's  Pool  and  Dome  over  the  Tomb  of  Christ 170 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS.  17 

PASB 

Hiram's  Tomb 242 

Hyrcanus,  Castle  of 856 

Inscribed  Rocks — Wady  Mukatteb 100 

Jacob's  Well 175 

Jaffa,  From  the  Sea 121 

Jerash,  Mahanaim 360 

Jericho,  Ruin 287 

Jerusalem,  Plan  of  the  City 131 

Jerusalem,  View  from  Olivet 125 

Jerasalem,  View  from  the  Wall 144 

Jew,  Polish 117 

Jews'  Wailing  Place 129 

Job's  Traditional  Palace,  Kunawdt 888 

Joseph's  Tomb 176 

Kamak,  Temple  of. 64 

Kedron  Valley 185 

Kirjath  Jearim — Emmaus 122 

Lamps,  Egyptian 89 

Last  Judgment,  Egyptian 86 

Levitical  Cities,  Plan  of 428 

Lotus  of  the  Nile 82 

Luxor,  Ruins  of 61 

Machasrus,  Fortress  of 828 

Maps  of  Palestine  and  Gulf  of  Suez 3,  91 

Mars'  Hill,  Athens 447 

Masada,  Fortress  and  Synagogue 807 

Moabite  Pottery  and  Images 845 

Moabite  Stone 836 

Moabite  Vase  and  Inscription 420 

Mosque  of  Omar 156 

Mountains  East  of  Dead  Sea. 297 

Mount  Carmel  and  Convent 245 

Mount  Tabor .' 249 

Mummy  Case,  Egyptian 55 

Nablous,  Ancient  Shechem 260 

Nazareth 263 

Nineveh,  Excavations 405 

Oak  of  Abraham 215 

Oak  of  Bashan 858 

Obelisk,  Heliopolis 44 

Palm  Trees 201 

Pompey's  Pillar 36 

Pools  of  Solomon 208 


18  LIST    OF   ILLUSTEATIONS. 

PAOB 

Pyramids 46 

Quarantania,  Mount  of  Temptation. 291 

Rabbah  Ammon 318 

Eachel's  Tomb 192 

Ramesium,  Colossal  Statue 74 

Rehoboam,  Son  and  Successor  of  Solomon 67 

Robbers'  Retreat 265 

Rock-cut  Tombs,  Jewish 181 

Rock-hewn  Tombs — Interior 174 

Samaria,  Ruins 261 

Sealed  Fountain. 204 

Seals,  Assyrian. 414,  415 

Smitten  Rock 223 

Sphinx 51 

Sphinx,  Theban 62 

Springs  of  Moses,  Mount  Pisgah 344 

Stone  Houses  of  the  Hauran,  Stone  Door 371,  397 

Stork  and  Nest 445 

Suez  Canal 40 

Table-ware,  Egyptian 72 

Temple  of  Isis,  Island  of  Philae 84 

Tomb  of  Bishop  Kingsley 442 

Tomb  of  Christ. 165 

Tomb  of  David,  with  Diagram. 177,179 

Tomb  of  Joseph 175 

Tomb  of  the  Judges 173 

Tombs  of  the  Kings,  Egypt 77 

Tyre 240 

Vaults  Under  the  Temple  Platform 143 

Water  Wheel  for  Irrigation 277 

Well  of  Abraham 221 

Wells  of  Moses 95 

Wilderness  of  Judea. 198 

Winged  Globe,  Egyptian. 63 

Winged  Lion,  Nineveh 408 

Wooden  Statue,  Found  at  Memphis 27 


PART  1. 
EGYPT  IN  ITS  RELATION  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

"  Tbe  Lord  did  bring  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  .  .  .  with 
a  mighty  hand,  and  with  an  outstretched  arm."  Exod.  xii,  61 ;  Deut.  xxvi,  8. 


EGIPIIAN     (    \1L  \\   V^ 


RECENT  TEAYELS  AND  EXPLORATIONS 

IN 

BIBLE  LANDS. 


CHAPTEE  I. 

OUR  INHERITAlfCE    DST  EGYPT. 

Relation  of  Egypt  to  Palestine — The  Bible  written  on  her  Monuments — Oldest 
Civilized  Portion  of  our  Globe — Egyptian  Chronology — No  Conflict  with  the 
Mosaic  Account — The  Hieroglyphics  not  reliable  as  Chronological  Records — 
History  Lost  in  Mystery — The  "  Rosetta  Stone  " — Religion  of  the  Old  Egyp- 
tians— Their  Worship  compared  with  that  of  the  Hebrews, 

EGYPT  and  Palestine  are  so  closely  related,  and  their 
histories  so  interwoven,  it  is  difficult  to  separate  them, 
or  to  write  about  the  one  without  including  the  other.  Many 
of  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible  refer  to  Egypt,  and  their 
BtriMng  fulfillment  may  be  seen  in  the  present  condition 
of  this  country ;  and  many  other  important  events  recorded  in 
the  Scriptures  transpired  here.  Abraham,  when  driven  by 
famine  from  Canaan,  found  here  a  home  and  plenty ;  the 
beautiful  narrative  of  Joseph  is  located  here ;  Jacob  and 
his  sons  settled  here ;  and  for  four  hundred  and  thirty 
years  this  land  was  the  asylum  and  heritage  of  the  Church : 
here  Moses  was  bom,  and  the  Passover  instituted;  the 
wife  of  Solomon  was  a  daughter  of  the  reigning  Pharaoh; 
and  hither  the  holy  family  fled  for  safety  from   the  bloody 


24 


BIBLE   LANDS. 


sword  of  Herod ;  tliiis  fulfilling  tlie  prophecy,  "  Out  of  Egypt 
have  I  called  my  Son."^  And,  what  is  very  remarkable, 
many  names  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  such  as  Ham, 
Mizraim,  Potiphar,  Shishak,  Asenath  the  wife  of  Joseph, 
and  others,  are  still  found  written  on  her  monuments,  and 
many  incidents  of  the  Bible  are  recorded  in  sculpture  and 
hieroglyi^hics  on  her  grand  temples.  In  one  place  we  have 
what  appears  to  be  a  representation  of  Joseph  introducing  his 


FLIGHT    INTO    EGYPT. 


brethren  to  Pharaoh ;  in  another,  the  Hebrews  making  brick, 
with  a  decree  ordering  them  to  build  the  temple  and  quarry 
stone  for  Pameses ;  their  task-masters  standing  by  with 
scourge  in  hand  urging  them  "  not  to  be  idle ;"  and  in  still 
another,  an  account  of  the  exodus,  or  a  race  of  strangers 
going  up  out  of  Egypt  and  settling  in  Syria,  under  a  leader 
by  the  name  of  Osarsiph,  which  is  identical  with  that  of  Moses, 
the  name  being  derived  from  Osiris,  the  golden  Apis.  Also, 
an  account  of  plentiful  harvests,  and  the  filling  of  the  royal 

1  Matthew  ii,  15. 


EGYPTIAT^^    CHKOXOLOGY. 


25 


granaries  with  corn,  followed  by  a  great  famine,  agreeing  with 
that  which  prevailed  in  the  time  of  Joseph.^ 

Egj'jDt  is  probably  the  oldest  molized  portion  of  om*  globe. 
Little,  however,  is  known  of  her  history  prior  to  Abraham ; 
in  fact,  nothing  reliable.  The  works  of  Manetho,  her  only  his- 
torian, who  wrote  B.C.  285,  have  long  since  been  lost,  and 
all  we  know  of  his  writings  is  what  has  been  transmitted  to 
ns  by  later  anthors,  after  passing  through  many  hands,  and,  no 
doubt,  greatly  perverted. 


EGYPTIAN    SCULPTURE HEBREWS    MAKING    BRICK. 


Some  claim  for  this  country  a  much  higher  antiquity  than 
the  Mosaic  chronology  or  the  facts  will  warrant,  as  must  ap- 
pear to  every  candid  reader  who  investigates  the  subject.  In 
dealing  with  this  question  of  chronology  we  shall  do  so  with 
reverence  and  freedom — reverence  for  every  thing  sacred  and 
venerable,  freedom  in  regard  to  the  opinions  and  theories  of 
others — with  the  one  desire  to  arrive  at  the  truth  in  relation  to 
the  age  of  those  wonderful  remains  that  mark  the  development 
of  our  world's  ci^-ilization. 

It  is  claimed,  for  example,  that  on  the  ancestral  tablets  only 

'See  Brugsch'i*  "  Histoire  d'Egvpte,"  second  edition,  p.  177. 


26  BIBLE   LANDS. 

lately  recovered  the  uames  of  certain  Pharaohs  are  found,  each 
reigning  so  many  years,  and  when  you  come  to  compute  the 
whole  list  it  carries  you  back  beyond  our  era  five  thousand 
years  or  more.  Which  is  true.  But  then  they  overlook  the 
important  fact  that  these  kings  did  not  reign  successively,  but, 
in  many  instances,  contemporaneously,  rival  Pharaohs  being 
on  the  thrones  of  Upper  and  Lower  Eg}^t  at  the  same  time, 
and  in  other  instances  father  and  son  were  associated  in  the 
government  of  the  country.  Then  there  are  many  gaps  or 
omissions  in  these  tablets  which,  when  supplied  with  the 
proper  data,  remove  all  difficulties  in  harmonizing  the  Hebrew 
and  Egyptian  chronology. 

It  is  further  argued  that  the  sediment  deposited  during  the 
annual  overflow  of  the  Nile  accumulates  at  the  rate  of  so 
many  inches  in  a  century,  and,  as  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet 
of  this  alluvial  deposit  are  found  over  some  of  these  buried 
cities,  they,  therefore,  must  be  from  six  to  eight  thousand 
years  old.  This,  however,  does  not  follow,  as  the  deposit  some 
years  is  much  greater  than  others,  and  forms  in  the  eddies  over 
these  ruins  much  faster  than  out  on  the  naked  plain.  This 
whole  argument  reminds  me  of  the  logic  of  a  noted  humorist,* 
who,  in  ridiculing  the  theories  of  some  of  our  modern  scien- 
tists, says  :  "  It  can  be  easily  demonstrated  that  the  Mississippi 
River,  by  washing  out  new  channels  across  her  gi*eat  bends,  has 
shortened  the  distance  between  Cairo,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Ohio,  and  New  Orleans,  at  least  one  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  in  the  last  two  hundred  years ; "  which  being  admit- 
ted, he  then  rery  amusingly  concludes,  "  that  if  this  process 
continues  for  two  thousand  years  longer.  New  Orleans  will 
be  where  Cairo  now  stands ! "  And  this  is  about  the  weight 
iMark  Twain. 


EGYPTIAN    REMAIiSrS. 


27 


of  tlie  arguments  advanced  against  the  clironology  of  the 
Bible.  It  is  also  a  notable  fact  that  the  oldest  relics  found  in 
the  oldest  tombs  of  Egypt  are  wooden  coffins  and  idols, 
in  many  instances  not  the  least  decayed  ;  embalmed  mummies, 
the  linen  wrappings  ^ipon  them  scarcely  soiled ;  rolls  of  papyri 


WOODEX    STATUE. 


OF    THE    OLDEST    RELICS    FOUXD    IX    EGYPT. 


28  BIBLE   LAOTDS. 

as  legible  as  if  written  on  but  yesterday;  eggs,  looking  as 
fresh  as  if  jnst  taken  from  the  nest ;  garden  seeds  and  wheat, 
said  still  to  retain  their  vitality;  loaves  of  bread,  different 
kinds  of  vegetables,  even  honey  in  the  comb ;  nothing  to  war- 
rant a  more  remote  antiquity  than  the  Mosaic  account,  espe- 
cially if  we  adopt  the  Septuagint  standard.  And  what  makes 
these  statements  of  the  skeptic  appear  even  more  absurd  is 
the  fact  that  in  some  of  these  cities  which  they  affirm  have 
been  buried  ten  thousand  years  or  more,  recently  have  been 
found  coins  and  pieces  of  pottery  belonging  to  the  Greek  and 
Eoman  period.  And  the  zodiac  carved  on  the  ceiling  of 
the  temple  at  Denderah,  which  at  first  was  claimed  by  the 
French  to  be  from  fifteen  to  seventeen  thousand  years  old,  has 
since  been  proven  to  belong  to  the  first  century  of  oiir  era. 

We  admit  that,  next  to  the  Bible,  the  monuments  of  Egypt 
contain  the  earhest  chronological  history  of  our  race,  but  these 
records  are  not  entirely  reliable,  in  part  owing  to  the  lack  of 
proper  data  and  the  vagueness  of  the  Egyptian  year,  and  are 
not  sufficient  to  set  aside  the  authority  of  God's  word. 
Even  learned  Egyptologists  cannot  agree  on  certain  dates,  as 
by  comparing  the  statements  of  Bunsen,  Willdnson,  Mariette, 
and  other  eminent  archaeologists,  you  will  find  a  discrepancy 
of  from  one  to  three  thousand  years  in  their  calculations.  So 
that  the  early  history  of  this  ancient  people  is  lost  in  mythical 
conjectures,  and  a  deep  mystery  still  hangs  over  the  land  of 
the  once  mighty  Pharaohs.  The  Nile,  so  mysterious  in  its 
source,  but  more  mysterious  in  its  annual  rise,  sweeps  on 
in  its  course  for  thousands  of  miles  under  a  cloudless  sky, 
causing  the  parched  desert  to  rejoice,  and  the  rainless  region 
through  which  it  flows  to  blossom  as  the  rose.  Along  the 
banks  of  this  sacred   river,  half-buried   in    the   ever-drifting 


KOSETTA    STOI^E.  29 

sands,  are  the  ruins  of  many  temples,  the  fires  on  whose  altars 
have  long  since  been  extinguished,  and  the  remains  of  a  thou- 
sand cities  whose  histories  are  lost  in  the  misty  past. 

Standing  upon  the  great  rock-bed  of  the  Libyan  desert  are 
those  wonderful  Pyramids  whose  origin  is  also  involved  in  im- 
penetrable mystery.  Who  conceived  or  executed  these  stu- 
pendous monuments  will,  more  than  likely,  forever  remain 
unknown.  Looking  down  upon  the  placid  waters  of  this 
renowned  stream  reclines  the  colossal  Sphinx,  the  local  deity 
of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  invested  with  the  same  mystery. 
And  in  whatever  direction  you  turn  your  eyes  the  mind  is 
appalled  as  it  contemplates  lone  obelisks,  of  vast  dimensions  ; 
gigantic  statues,  wonderful  to  behold ;  grand  edifices,  forming 
a  labyrinth  of  gorgeous  halls;  the  origin  of  all  being  en- 
shrouded in  the  most  profound  mystery.  And  yet  this  obscur- 
ity imparts  a  peculiar  charm  and  romance  to  the  country. 
One  can  spend  days  and  weeks  amid  these  ruins  without  any 
sense  of  weariness,  not  knowing  what  moment  he  may  discover 
the  hidden  key  to  some  secret  door  that  may  unlock  the  mys- 
teries of  ages  or  lead  to  mines  of  untold  wealth. 

Since  the  discovery  by  the  French  of  the  celebrated  "Ko- 
setta  Stone,"  ^  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile  in  the  summer  of 
1799,  and  its  translation  by  Champollion,  much  additional  light 
has  been  shed  on  the  hitherto  obscure  history  of  this  country. 
And  the  explorations  still  going  on  under  the  direction  of 
that  indefatigable  archaeologist,  Mariette  Bey,  furnish  us  with 

'  This  stone,  now  in  the  British  Museum,  is  a  trilingual  tablet  of  black  basalt, 
containing  a  decree  in  honor  of  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  B.  C.  196,  written  in  three 
different  languages — the  Greek,  the  hieroglyphic,  or  sacred  language  of  the  priests, 
and  the  demotic,  or  common  dialect  of  the  people.  The  deciphering  of  this  stone 
afforded  a  key  to  the  hitherto  mysterious  hieroglyphics  on  these  monuments, 
which  can  now  be  read  with  as  much  ease  as  any  other  dead  language. 


30  BIBLE   LANDS. 

many  additional  facts  touching  the  occupancy  of  the  land  by 
the  Jews,  and  the  religion  of  the  old  Egyptians,  proving  very 
conclusively  that  the  latter  had  no  clear  idea  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  human  soul,  or  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  or 
other  biblical  truths,  before  the  settlement  of  the  Hebrews 
among  them.  We  also  find  that  in  their  religious  sentiment!^ 
they  were  very  much  like  the  Jews,  both  being  of  a  deeply 
spiritual  turn  of  mind,  ever  contemplating  the  future,  but  in 
other  respects  very  dissimilar. 

The  Egyptians  were  polytheists  and  pantheists,  God,  accord- 
ing to  their  idea,  not  being  a  person,  but  an  essence  diffused 
throughout  all  nature — animate  and  inanimate.  Many  of  their 
gods  were  creations  of  their  own  fancy,  some  of  them  the 
most  ludicrous  monstrosities.  Osiris,  their  principal  divinity, 
was  represented  in  Apis,  the  sacred  bull ;  Athor,  either  as  a 
cow  or  with  cow's  horns  on  her  head  ;  Tlioth,  with  the  head  of 
an  ibis ;  Anubis,  always  with  a  jackal's  head  ;  Kneph,  with  the 
head  of  a  ram ;  Pasht,  with  a  Hon's  or  cat's  head ;  Se^ak,  with 
the  head  of  a  crocodile ;  Ilorus,  with  that  of  a  hawk  _  T}'phon, 
their  evil  genius,  as  an  ass,  with  many  others  equally  fanciful. 
Ahnost  every  animal,  bird,  and  insect  that  lives,  and  every 
vegetable  that  grows,  was  vrith  them  an  object  of  divine  wor- 
ship, under  the  impression  that  the  gods  were  personified  in 
these  objects. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Hebrews  believed  in  but  one 
Supreme  Being,  invisible,  allwise,  and  eternal !  Among  the 
Egyptians  every  temple  was  full  of  idols,  and  the  walls, 
ceilings,  and  columns  were  covered  with  sculptures,  paintings, 
and  inscriptions  from  top  to  bottom,  within  and  without,  all  in 
honor  of  their  gods.  And  every  statue  and  work  of  art,  from 
the  colossi  to  the  smallest  scarabee,  bore  the  image  of,  and  was 


EELIGIOUS    IDEAS. 


31 


dedicated  to  some  god.  But  among  the  Jews  every  tliiuo- 
was  spiritual,  intellectual,  and  t}-|3ical  of  sometliing  j^urer, 
grander,  and  more  enduring.  God  was  supreme  in  their 
thoughts  and  affections.     They  worshiped  not  by  sight,  but  by 


INTERIOR    OF    TUK    TKMRLE    OF    IHIS. 


faith,  as  seeing  the  Invisible  himself  ;  no  idol,  no  painting,  no 
inscription  of  any  kind,  has  ever  been  found  upon  all  the 
monuments  of  Israel  in  the  Holy  Land.    After  the  conquest  of 


32 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


Palestine  by  Alexander  we  find  some  traces  of  Grecian  sculpt- 
ure and  inscriptions,  but  on  the  works  of  the  old  Hebrews 
there  is  nothing  to  indicate  their  name,  age,  or  object,  which 
no  one  can  but  regret,  as  most  of  these  remains  are  without 
name  or  history. 

After  these  general  remarks  in  reference  to  the  history, 
chronology,  and  religious  ideas  of  this  ancient  nation,  we  shall 
proceed  to  notice  some  of  their  most  interesting  monumental 
remains,  showing  their  connection  with  our  faith  and  with  the 
sojourn  of  Israel  in  "  the  land  of  Ham." 


I'HE    LOTUS    OF    THE    MLE. 


CHAPTER  II. 

/LNCIENT  ALEXAia)RIA SEAT   OF   GREEK    PHILOSOPHY   AND 

CHRISTIAN   THEOLOGY. 

Royal  City  of  Alexander  the  Great — Ancient  Splendor — The  Pharos — Christianity 
early  Planted  here — Cleopatra's  Needle — Pompey's  Pillar — Modern  City — 
Backsheesh — Oriental  Scenes — Veiled  Women — Dogs — Donkeys — Failure  of 
the  Khedive  to  conquer  Abyssinia — Suez  Canal  probably  first  projected  by 
Joseph. 

THE  tourist  from  America  or  Europe  visiting  Egypt  gener- 
ally lands  at  Alexandria,  founded  by  the  great  general 
■whose  name  it  bears,  B.  C.  332.  The  city  was  laid  out  by  Dinoc- 
rates,  architect  of  the  famous  temple  of  Diana,  at  Ephesus,  who 
on  one  occasion  proposed  cutting  Mount  Athos  into  a  colossal 
statue  of  Alexander,  holding  a  city  in  one  hand  and  pouring 
out  a  river  from  the  other.  Alexandria,  being  situated  in  the 
Delta  of  the  Nile,  near  to  Asia  and  convenient  to  Europe,  was 
long  regarded  as  only  second  to  imperial  Eome,  and  is  still  the 
largest  commercial  city  in  Africa.  It  is  not  our  purpose,  how- 
ever, to  attempt  any  detailed  description  of  the  magnificence 
of  ancient  Alexandria,  with  its  four  thousand  palaces,  grand 
temples,  beautiful  gardens,  numerous  schools,  and  rich  collec- 
tions of  art.  The  far-seeing  Macedonian  designed  it  as  the  em- 
porium for  the  entire  East,  and  from  its  peculiar  circular  shape 
one  would  suppose  that  the  mighty  conqueror  really  mtended 
throwing  his  mantle  over  the  whole  world.  As  a  strategic  point 
Napoleon  considered  it  of  the  first  importance,  and  made  it  the 
base  of  operations  in  his  attempted  conquest  of  Asia. 

For  many  centuries  this  city  was  tliu  ^^vv.it  center  of  trade 


34  BIBLE  la:s"ds. 

and  learning,  wealth  and  power.  Here  the  Ptolemies,  Cleopatras, 
and  Caesars  reigned  in  all  their  glory ;  here  science,  literature, 
and  every  branch  of  jDhilosoj^hy  flourished ;  here  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures  were  first  translated  into  the  Greek,  B.  C.  2S0. 
Here,  also,  stood  the  famous  Pharos,  one  of  the  seven  wonders 
of  the  world,  a  light-house  five  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high, 
erected  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  throwing  out  its  beacon  light 
for  a  hundred  miles  over  the  midnight  sea.     This  tower  was 


fp 


MODERN    ALEXANDRIA. 


designed  as  a  memorial  of  the  king,  who  ordered  his  name  to 
be  inscribed  on  its  pediment ;  the  architect,  however,  first  cut 
his  own  name  in  the  solid  marble,  placing  over  it,  in  stucco, 
the  name  of  Ptolemy,  which  in  a  few  years  crumbled  to  dust, 
leaving  that  of  Sostratus.  the  architect,  emblazoned  through 
after  ages  on  the  front  of  this  unrivaled  monument. 

Christianity  was  early  planted  here,  according  to  some  histori- 


ATSrCEENT   ALEXANDRIA.  35 

ans,  by  the  Apostle  Peter.  St.  Mark,  it  is  believed,  was  the  first 
Bishop  of  the  Church,  and  suffered  martyi'dom  here.  Clement, 
Athanasius,  Origen,  Cyril,  and  other  eminent  divines,  were  edu- 
cated here,  and  the  eloquent  Apollos  was  a  native  of  this  city. 
From  lower  Egypt  Christianity  rapidly  extended  to  Cyrene, 
Libya,  central  and  upper  Egypt ;  so  that  by  the  middle  of  the 
third  century  there  were  not  less  than  twenty  bishoprics  in 
Egypt ;  and  in  a  corrupt  form  the  Church  still  exists  among 
the  Copts,  or  natives  of  the  country.  This  old  seat  of  pagan 
philosophy  and  mysticism  soon  became  the  seat  of  Christian 
literature,  and  the  Alexandrian  School  ranked  among  the  oldest 
and  highest  Christian  institutions  of  learning  in  the  primitive 
Church.  But  little  remains  of  her  ancient  grandeur.  Most  of 
the  old  city  lies  imbedded  beneath  the  deposits  of  the  Nile  and 
sands  of  the  desert.  Her  invaluable  library  of  700,000  MSS., 
containing  a  copy  of  every  work  then  known,  and  collected 
with  so  much  labor  and  expense,  was  consigned  to  the  flames 
by  order  of  Caliph  Omar,  after  the  fall  of  the  city,  A.  D.  641. 

The  Serapeuin,  the  last  temple  of  paganism  in  Alexandria, 
with  its  exquisite  statues  and  vast  treasures,  was  destroyed 
by  Theodosius.  Even  the  tomb  of  Alexander  hunseK  can 
no  longer  be  identified,  and  not  a  vestige  of  the  celebrated 
Pharos  remains.  A  single  obelisk,  one  of  the  so-called  Cleo- 
patra's Needles,  and  Pompey's  Pillar,  a  beautiful  red  granite 
Corinthian  column,  one  hundred  feet  high,  including  base  and 
capital,  and  ten  feet  in  diameter — the  largest  monolith  in  the 
world — still  stand  as  old  landmarks  of  this  once  opulent  city. 

Egypt,  under  the  lately  deposed  Khedive,  Ismail  Pasha,  grand- 
son of  Mohammed  Ah,  has  rapidly  advanced  in  civilization. 
Many  Europeans  are  setthng  in  the  country ;  new  railroads  and 
canals  are  being  constructed ;  Christian  Churches  and  schools 


36 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


are  every- wliere  springing  up  ;  and  Alexandria  is  sliaring  largely 
in  this  general  prosperity,  is  lifting  lier  head  out  of  the  dust 
of  ages,  and  is  fast  recovering  some  of  her  ancient  glory. 

The  city  contains  a  population  of  at  least  two  hundred  thou- 
sand, made  up  chiefly  of  Eg}q3tians,  Nubians,  Arabs,  and  Turks ; 


^i^W 


and  as  you  land  in  this  motley  crowd  the  first  word  that  greets 
your  ears  will  probably  be  backsheesh — an  Arabic  word  you 
will  never  forget.  It  simply  means  some  small  gratuity,  and 
wherever  you  stroll  gangs  of  half-naked  natives  ^^'ill  follow 


ORIENTAL    SCENES.  37 

yon  pleading  for  backsheesh.  Enter  any  mosqne,  and  it  is 
backsheesh ;  go  up  or  come  down  the  pyramids,  or  go  any- 
where else,  and  you  hear  nothing  but  backsheesh  !  O  howadji ! 
backsheesh  !  !  backsheesh  !  !  !  Like  all  Oriental  cities,  the 
streets  of  Alexandria  are  narrow  and  filthy ;  crowded  with 
Arabs,  dogs,  and  donkeys.     The  latter  are  used  instead  of  street- 


_^lXi^^^. 


ALEXANDRIAN    DONKEY. 


cars  for  all  short  excursions,  and  are  certainly  very  conven- 
ient little  animals — especially  for  a  tall  man,  as  he  can  ride  and 
walk  at  the  same  time  ;  and  the  dogs,  like  those  of  Cairo,  are 
very  dogmatic,  leading  lazy,  independent  lives,  having  no  mas- 
ters to  serve,  or  homes  to  guard — miserable,  ugly  curs,  ever 
growling  and  snarling  at  all  who  disturb  them  as  they  lie 
coiled  up  in  the  streets. 

This  is  the  land  of  sunshine  and  legends,  of  superstition  and 


38  BIBLE   LANDS. 

oppression.  Every  thing  to  the  stranger  appears  different  from 
every  thing  else  he  has  ever  seen  before.  The  turban ed  Turk, 
in  his  gay  attire,  sitting  in  his  cozy  bazaar ;  the  long  caravans  of 
camels,  jogging  quietly  along,  with  nose  erect  and  eye  set  as  on 
Mecca ;  and  the  women,  veiled  from  head  to  foot,  moving  about 
Hke  phantoms,  make  up  such  a  picture  as  can  only  be  seen  in  the 
Orient.  In  the  East  you  scarcely  ever  see  a  woman's  face  on 
the  streets.  A  man  does  not  even  see  his  intended  wife's  be- 
fore marriage,  and  not  then  unless  he  has  paid  for  her.  In 
Mohammedan  countries  all  brides  are  sold  to  the  highest  bidder, 
the  same  as  horses  or  camels,  the  money  to  be  paid  on  delivery. 
Even  after  marriage  the  wife  is  kept  like  a  prisoner  in  the 
harem,  and  always  closely  veiled  when  she  appears  in  public. 
The  Arabs  have  a  proverb,  "  When  a  wife  has  seen  the  guest, 
she  cares  no  more  for  her  husband ; "  hence  all  freedom  is 
denied  her,  and  she  spends  her  days  dreaming  of  a  liberty  she  haa 
never  enjoyed.  Some  men  are  so  jealous  of  their  wives,  it  is 
said,  they  wiU  not  allow  them  out  on  a  moonlight  night,  lest 
the  man  in  the  moon  should  see  them.  One  of  the  Khedive's 
wives  being  sick,  he  sent  for  our  American  physician  to  visit 
her;  but  the  doctor  said  he  could  do  nothing  in  the  case  un- 
less he  could  see  the  patient ;  but  as  that  privilege  could  not  b" 
granted,  he  insisted  at  least  on  seeing  her  tongue.  So  they  ar- 
ranged to  stretch  a  sheet  over  an  opening  in  the  wall,  with  a 
small  sHt  cut  in  it,  through  which  the  patient  protruded  her 
tongue,  and  thus  the  doctor  was  enabled  to  prescribe. 

What  the  Khedive  lacks  in  the  development  of  his  country 
are  men  and  means  to  carry  out  his  projects.  His  dominion  at 
presenlf  is  confined  to  the  narrow  valley  of  the  Nile,  with  a 
population  of  only  5,000,000,  not  enough  for  a  great  nation; 
but  far  away  to  the  south  of  him  lies  Abyssinia,  rich  in  prod- 


SUEZ    CANAL.  39 

nets,  with  a  population  equal  to  his  own,  a  prize  his  father  long 
coveted.  Two  years  ago  the  late  Khedive  sent  an  army  into  this 
territory,  with  a  view  of  annexing  it  to  Egypt,  as  he  had  done 
with  !N  ubia.  All  counted  on  the  success  of  the  campaign ;  but 
the  Abyssinians,  being  nominally  Christians,  fired  with  religious 
ardor,  defeated  the  Egyptians  in  every  engagement,  and  almost 
exterminated  the  invading  army.  This  reverse  had  a  depress- 
ing effect  on  the  Khedive,  who  fully  calculated  on  the  easy  con- 
quest and  absorption  of  Abyssinia,  and  had  gone  so  far  as 
to  select  his  commissioners  to  arrange  details,  one  of  whom  was 
the  Protestant  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and  another  the  Coptic 
Patriarch  at  Cairo.  The  King  of  Abyssinia,  however,  was  not 
to  be  conquered  thus  easily,  and  when  commanded  by  the  Khe- 
dive to  lay  down  his  arms  and  surrender,  Johannes  very  nobly 
and  defiantly  replied,  "  Not  till  you  have  restored  to  me  every 
foot  of  territory  between  Jerusalem  and  Abyssinia."  Since  then 
peace  has  been  established  between  the  two  countries,  the 
Khedive  indemnifying  King  John  for  the  expenses  of  the 
war. 

One  of  the  greatest  works  of  tl^e  century,  if  not  the  greatest, 
was  the  completion  in  1869  of  the  Suez  Canal,  connecting  the 
Eed  Sea  with  the  Mediterranean,  at  an  outlay  of  $130,000,000  ! 
The  canal  is  eighty-six  and  a  haK  miles  long,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  of  sufficient  depth  to  allow  the  largest 
vessels  to  pass  through  without  difficulty,  thus  saving  in  the 
voyage  from  Europe  and  America  to  India  or  China  from 
five  to  seven  thousand  miles  in  distance,  and  about  a  month  in 
time. 

This  great  achievement  was  no  new  conception  of  the  French, 
but  the  completion  of  a  scheme  that  had  been  under  contem- 
plation for  three  thousand  years.     It  is  recorded  by  Strabo, 


40  BIBLE    LANDS. 

aud  other  liistorians,  that  Eameses  II.,  B.  C.  1340,  cut  a  canal 
between  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Isiie.  Others  attribnte  the  work 
to  Sethi  I.,  a  century  earlier,  under  whom  Joseph  served  as  gov- 
ernor, who  may  have  been  the  original  projector  of  this  grand 
improvement.^  Eight  centuries  later,  according  to  Herodotus, 
ISTecho  II.  enlarged  this  canal,  sacrilicing  120,000  men  on  the 
work,  and  sent  a  fleet  through  it  to  circumnavigate  Africa. 


SLEZ    CANAL. 


AVheu  the  Persianfi,  under  Cambyses,  B.  C.  525,  conquered  the 
country,  they  found  the  canal  no  longer  navigable  ;  but  Darius, 
son  of  Hystaspes,  re-opened  it.  In  the  course  of  centuries  it 
again  became  obstructed  with  the  sand,  and  was  restored  once 
more  by  the  Emperor  Trajan,  in  the  lieginning  of  our  era,  from 
which  period  it  appears  to  have  been  kept  open  until  finally 
filled  up  and  destroyed  by  the  Aral)  Caliphs. 

It  remained,  however,  for  Napoleon  III.  to  complete  this 
grand  work  of  ages  on  a  large  scale,  hy  cutting  through  Menzaleh 

^  Joseph  introduced  the  system  of  irrigation  into  Egypt  by  cutting  canals  that 
still  bear  his  name,  and  distributing  the  waters  of  the  Nile  over  the  neighboring 
desert,  thus  reclaiming  a  large  district  of  waste  territory. 


SUEZ    CANAL. 


41 


and  tlie  Bitter  Lakes  a  maritime  canal  from  sea  to  sea ;  Avliich  has 
proved  as  grand  a  success  as  tlie  enterprise  itself.  During  the 
last  year  1,494  vessels,  carrying  80,805  passengers,  passed  over 
this  liighway  of  the  seas  ;  the  receipts  from  freight  and  passen- 
gers amounted  to  $5,Y55,205,  and  its  traffic  is  yearly  increasing. 
England,  who  at  first  ridiculed  the  idea  of  a  ship-canal  across 
the  Isthmus  as  \nsionary,  was  the  first  to  profit  by  it ;  and  see- 
ing the  importance  of  keeping  up  regular  and  rapid  communi- 
cation with  her  East  Indian  Colonies,  has  lately  purchased  the 
Khedive's  interest  in  this  great  improvement ;  and,  with  Cyprus 
in  her  possession,  will  before  many  years  control  not  only  the 
canal,  but  Egypt  and  the  whole  Levant. 


ANCIENT    EGYPTIAN    BOAT. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HELIOPOLIS  AND  THE  PYRAMIDS. 

The  On  of  Scripture— Grand  Temple  of  the  Sun— Ancient  Seat  of  Learning- 
Legend  of  the  Phoenix— One  Bolitary  Obelisk  all  that  remains- The  Pyramids 
of  Ghizeh— Their  Origin  Invested  with  Mystery— Probably  Tombs  for  their 
Gods  and  Kings— Latest  Speculations— Cheops  identical  with  Joseph,  the 
Hebrew— Piazzi  Smyth's  Theory— Colossal  Sphinx— Interesting  Legend — 
Reflections. 

HELIOPOLIS,  the  On  of  Scripture,  and  one  of  the  oldest 
cities  in  Egypt,  was  situated  at  the  head  of  the  Delta, 
a  few  miles  north  of  Cairo,  the  present  capital,  and  on  the 
borders  of  what  was  anciently  the  land  of  Goshen.  This  was 
the  city  of  the  grand  Temple  of  the  Sun,  where  the  golden 
Apis  was  worshiped,  and  was  the  great  seat  of  learning  among 
the  old  Egyptians.  Asenath,  the  wife  of  Joseph,  was  a 
daughter  of  the  high-priest  of  this  temple.*  Here  Moses  was 
educated  for  his  responsible  mission.  Here  Plato  and  other 
Greeks  obtained  most  of  their  knowledge  of  philosophy  and 
astronomy ;  and  it  was  here,  according  to  the  legend,  the  fabled 
Phcenix  was  consumed.  This  bird  was  exceedingly  beautiful, 
about  the  size  of  an  eagle,  with  a  plumage  that  shone  like 
gold  around  its  neck,  a  purple  body,  and  a  tail  of  blue  and  rose- 
colored  feathers.  It  wore  a  coxcomb  under  its  neck,  and  a 
magnificent  crest  on  its  head.  This  splendid-looking  bird  was 
supposed  to  live  five  hundred  years,  then  burn  itself,  and  rise 
again  from  its  own  ashes  young,  strong,  and  more  beautiful 
than  ever — a  symbol  of  the  resurrection  of  the  human  body. 

42  >  Gen.  xli,  45. 


OBELISK    OF   HELI0P0LI8.  43 

The  new  birth  of  this  fabulons  creature  always  took  place  at 
HeHopolis.  The  priest  of  the  temple  kindled  a  fire  of  spices 
on  the  altar,  and  the  old  bird,  weary  of  hfe,  after  hovering 
for  a  few  moments  over  the  fumes,  alighted  in  the  flames 
and  was  soon  consumed.  On  the  second  day  after  the  burning 
a  small  worm  appeared  among  the  ashes  on  the  altar,  and  on 
the  third  day  the  Phoenix  rose  again,  more  beautiful  than  ever, 
with  powers  of  endurance  warranted  to  last  five  hundred  years 
longer. 

The  Temple  stood  at  one  end  of  a  large  inclosure,  three  miles 
around,  the  walls  of  which  may  still  be  traced.  Through 
this  outer  court  there  ran  an  avenue  of  marble  sphinxes  and 
granite  obeKsks  terminating  at  the  main  entrance  to  the  tem- 
ple— all  of  which  have  been  destroyed  or  removed  save  one 
lone  obelisk,  the  oldest  in  Egypt,  still  standing  as  erect  as 
nrhen  first  elevated  upon  its  pedestal  four  thousand  years  ago, 
guarding  like  an  old  sentinel  the  tomb  of  this  long-buried  city. 

This  tapering  shaft  of  red  granite,  which  has  withstood  the 
storms  and  earthquakes  of  so  many  centuries,  is  about  seventy 
feet  high,  and  six  feet  three  inches  square  at  its  base.  The 
four  faces  are  beautifully  polished  and  covered  with  hiero- 
glyphics and  symbolical  figures  deeply  cut  in  the  hard  rock, 
showing  great  skill,  and  that  it  was  erected  as  a  monumental 
record  by  Osirtasen  I.,  probably  B.C.  2080  years,  if  not  earlier. 

The  Egyptian  name  for  these  columns  has  been  lost.  They 
were  called  "obelisks"  or  needles  by  the  Greeks,  and  the  two 
that  were  removed  from  here  to  Alexandria  by  the  Romans 
were  known  as  "  Cleopatra's  Needles,"  though  that  renowned 
woman  had  nothing  to  do  with  them.  One  of  these  famous 
needles  has  just  been  taken  to  England ;  the  other  has  been 
promised  to  America,  and  in  a  few  months  may  be  seen  at  the 


44  BIBLE    LANDS. 

entrance   to  the   Central  Park,  New   York,  tlius   connecting 
the  earliest  and  latest  civilizations  of  onr  world.^ 

The  Heliopolis  obelisk  formerly  stood  on  an  eminence  ;  now 
its  base  is  at  least  six  feet  below  the  neighboring  plain,  indicat- 
ing how  the  whole  lower  valley  of  the  Nile  is  gradually  filling  np. 
Within  ten  minutes'  walk  of  this  old  landmark  is  the  celebrated 
"  Fountain  of  the  Sun,"  that  supplied  the  temple  with  fresh, 


sweet  water,  the  only  living  spring  in  Egypt ;  and  overshadow- 
ing this  fountain  is  the  venerable  sycamore-tree,  gnarled  with 
age,  under  whose  broad  branches,  it  is  said,  the  Holy  Fannly 
encamped  when  they  fled  to  Egypt  from  the  wrath  of  Herod. 

>  The  author  was  in  Alexandria  at  the  time  the  English  removed  their  obelisk, 
and  through  Mr.  J.  Baldwin  Hay,  formerly  U.  S.  Consul-General  at  Beirut,  pre- 
sented to  the  late  Khedive,  on  the  16th  of  July,  1877,  a  request  that  the  remammg 
needle  be  -iven  to  the  United  States,  which  the  Viceroy  afterward  consented  to  do. 


THE    PYRAMIDS.  45 

With  the  conquest  of  Egypt  bj  tlie  Persians  the  glory  of  this 
city  depaited.  "With  the  rise  of  Alexandria  under  the  Greeks 
she  lost  her  prestige ;  and  with  the  birtli  of  Christianity  Heli- 
opolis  died ! 

The  gi-eatest  mystery,  and  oldest  chronological  records  in 
Egypt,  if  not  in  the  world,  are  the  Pyramids — about  seventy 
of  which  are  still  standing  in  the  YaUey  of  the  Nile.  They  be- 
long to  the  pre-historic  age,  and  are  among  the  earliest  monu- 
ments of  man.  Herodotus,  B.  C.  443,  speaks  of  them  as  of 
great  antiquity,  but  was  as  ignorant  of  their  origin  as  we  are. 

The  most  famous  are  those  near  Ghizeh,  midway  between 
Cau'o  and  Memphis.  They  stand  about  one  hundred  feet  above 
the  overflow  of  the  Nile,  on  the  rocky  ridge  forming  the  east- 
em  border  of  the  great  African  desert ;  and  the  earthquakes  of 
forty  centuries  have  failed  to  move  them  from  their  firm 
foundations. 

The  largest,  known  as  the  Pyramid  of  Cheops,  is  seven  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  feet  square  at  the  base,  and  rises  at  an  angle 
of  fifty-two  degrees  to  the  height  of  four  hundred  and  eighty 
feet,  (originally  it  was  about  twenty  feet  higher,)  containing 
ninety  million  cubic  feet,  and  covering  an  area  of  more  than 
thirteen  acres ;  being  larger  than  Madison  Square,  New  York, 
and  twice  the  height  of  Trinity  Church  spire.  All  this  is  soKd 
masonry,  of  the  most  massive  kind.  Some  of  the  stones  are 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  long,  varying  in  thickness  from 
three  to  five  feet,  evenly  dressed  and  laid  with  mortar  in  regular 
courses.  There  is  enough  material  in  this  pyramid  to  build  a 
city  large  as  Washington,  including  all  the  public  edifices. 
According  to  Herodotus,  four  hundred  thousand  men  were 
employed  twenty  years  in  the  erection  of  this  single  monu- 
ment.    They  are  all  constructed  on  the  same  general  principle ; 


46  BIBLE   LANDS. 

"  Oriented,"  or  facing  the  four  cardinal  points,  with  vaults  or 
chambers  within,  and  a  passage  leading  thereto. 

They  evidently  were  erected  as  tombs  or  mausoleums  for 
their  gods  and  kings,  as  they  are  always  located  in  the  midst  of 
mummy  pits.  All  stand  west  of  the  ^ile,  which  was  con- 
sidered the  region  of  death ;  and  in  all  explored,  sarcophagi  ci 
mummies  have  been  found ;  in  one,  an  embalmed  bull. 


The  entrance  to  the  Great  Pyramid,  the  corner-stone  of  our 
civilization,  which  was  originally  closed,  is  a  narrow  passage 
three  feet  five  inches  wide,  and  three  feet  eleven  inches  high, 
on  the  north  face,  fifty  feet  above  the  base.  This  gangway 
appears  to  have  been  cut  after  the  pyramid  was  built.  On  en- 
tering this  contracted  passage  you  descend  at  an  angle  of 
twenty-seven  degrees  for  about  one  hundred  feet,  when  you  are 


PYRAMID    OF   CHEOPS.  47 

stopped  suddenly  by  a  granite  plug  closing  up  the  entry  en- 
tirely. Here,  to  avoid  this  obstruction,  you  make  a  short 
detour  to  the  right  upon  your  hands  and  knees,  and  by  clamber- 
ing over  some  broken  stones,  and  through  a  hole  fourteen 
inches  in  diameter,  torch  in  hand,  and  almost  stifled  with  dust 
and  smoke,  you  emerge  into  an  ascending  passage,  no  larger 
than  the  one  you  entered,  and  rising  at  the  same  angle,  up 
which  you  climb  with  great  difficulty  into  the  grand  gallery 
that  leads  to  the  queen's  and  king's  chamber ;  the  latter  a  room 
thirty-four  feet  long,  seventeen  wide,  and  nineteen  high,  faced 
with  red  granite,  highly  polished,  single  slabs,  extending  from 
wall  to  wall  overhead,  forming  the  ceiling.  This  chamber  is 
almost  under  the  apex,  and  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
from  the  outer  entrance ;  and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  this  is  the 
only  pyramid  containing  two  such  large  apartments,  with  an 
ascending  gallery  leading  thereto. 

None  but  those  who  have  full  command  of  themselves  should 
venture  into  this  dark,  prison-like  tomb.  No  doubt  many  deaths 
have  resulted  from  the  fear  produced  by  the  awful  gloom  and 
confined  atmosphere  of  this  dismal  palace  of  the  dead.  One 
.ady  of  our  party  was  carried  out  almost  suffocated  and  partially 
paralyzed. 

Nothing  was  found  in  the  pyramid  when  opened  by  Caliph 
Mahmoud,  A.  D.  850,  but  the  empty,  lidless  sarcophagus  of  the 
once  mighty,  but  now  unknown,  builder  of  this  vast  sepulchral 
monument. 

With  the  aid  of  two  or  three  Arabs  you  can  ascend  to  the  top 
of  Cheops,  and  enjoy  one  of  the  grandest  views  on  earth. 
Beneath  your  feet  repose  the  dead  of  forty  centuries.  To  the 
north  you  have  the  meanderings  of  the  Nile  through  the  ever- 
green Delta ;  to  the  west,  the  desert — the  great  African  desert 


48  BIBLE    LANDS. 

— the  very  synonym  of  utter  desolation ;  to  the  south,  Mem- 
phis and  her  pyramids,  where  Joseph  ruled  the  land  under  her 
most  powerful  and  wisest  Pharaoh  :  and  to  the  east  you  can 
see  the  little  island  of  Kodah,  where  it  is  said  Moses  was  found 
in  his  "  ark  of  buh-ushes ;"  and  beyond,  Cairo,  with  its  numer- 
ous domes  and  minarets ;  and  still  beyond,  the  citadel  where 
the  Mamelukes  were  massacred  by  order  of  Mohammed  Ali, 
March  1,  1811. 

And  the  interest  of  this  panorama  is  heightened  by  the  asso- 
ciations it  awakens.  You  stand  upon  a  monument  whose  his- 
tory is  lost  in  mystery ;  dating  back,  at  least,  to  the  patriarchal 
age ;  which  must  have  witnessed  the  conquest  of  the  country 
by  Darius,  Cambyses,  and  Alexander ;  which  was  a  problem  to 
Pythagoras,  Strabo,  and  Herodotus ;  on  which  the  Cleopatras, 
Ptolemies,  and  Cassars  must  have  gazed  with  amazement ;  and 
which  inspired  the  army  of  the  great  Napoleon  with  ardor  when 
battHng  beneath  its  shadow. 

Many  theories  have  been  advanced  touching  the  age  and  ob- 
ject of  the  pyramids.  Josephus,  and  other  ancient  historians, 
were  of  the  opinion  that  some  of  them  were  built  by  the 
Hebrews  during  their  oppression,  which  is  very  plausible,  as 
several  near  Memphis  are  composed  of  large  sun-dried  brick, 
made  without  straw. 

Another  theory  is  that  the  Great  Pyramid  was  constructed 
by  Joseph  when  governor  of  Egypt.  The  celebrated  archae- 
ologist, Col.  Howard  Yyse,  has  discovered  upon  some  of  the 
stones  of  this  pyramid  certain  hieroglyphics  that  answer  to  the 
name  of  Shoofoo — rendered  by  Herodotus  Cheops,  and  Suphis 
by  Manetho,  but  which  is  in  reality  the  identical  name  of  Joseph 
the  Hebrew.  It  is,  therefore,  inferred  that  Joseph,  during  the 
lonf  famine,  when  he  gathered  the  people  into  the  cities,  and 


LATEST   THEORIES.  49 

was  compelled  to  feed  and  find  them  employment,  engaged 
them  in  the  construction  of  this  grand  monument,  perhaps  for 
astronomical  purposes,  or  as  a  depository  for  valuable  records ; 
and  that,  by  order  of  Pharaoh,  he  was  buried  in  it  at  his 
death,  and  when  his  people  returned  to  Canaan  they  carried 
his  remains  with  them,  which  will  account  for  the  empty 
sarcophagus,  and  the  pyramid  being  closed  again  after  first 
opened. 

It  is  also  a  singular  coincidence  that  the  description  given  by 
Herodotus  of  Cheops  answers  exactly  the  character  of  Joseph ; 
who,  he  says,  closed  the  temples  of  the  Egyptians,  and  for- 
cibly employed  the  people  in  building  this  pyramid ;  and  that 
the  same  cartouch  foimd  here  above  the  king's  chamber,  con- 
taining the  name  of  Suphis,  has  been  discovered  in  Wady 
Magharah,  on  the  route  of  the  Israelites  through  the  wilderness 
of  Sinai. 

Josephus'  speaks  of  the  ancients  erecting  two  pillars  for  the 
preservation  of  the  early  history  of  the  world,  and  their  knowl- 
edge of  the  heavenly  bodies ;  one  of  stone  in  Egypt,  which  may 
apply  to  this  pyramid ;  the  other  of  brick,  "  in  the  land  of 
Siriad,"  which  may  refer  to  the  Temple  of  Belus.  And  as 
the  Pyramid  of  Cheops  was  originally  beautifully  cased  with 
marble  and  covered  with  hieroglyphics,  may  it  not  have  been 
constructed  for  the  twofold  purpose  of  a  tomb  or  depository 
for  valuable  records,  and  also  as  a  historical  and  astronomical 
monument  of  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients,  their  knowledge  of 
the  heavenly  bodies,  and  their  discoveries  in  the  natural 
sciences — so  in  case  the  world  should  be  destroyed  again  by 
water  or  fire,  some  account  of  its  history  and  inventions  might 
K*  o^eserved  ?     The  other  pyramids,  being  of  a  later  dat,e,  were 

'  Antiquities,  i,  2. 


50  BIBLE    LANDS. 

probably  erected  in  imitation  of  this  one,  and  evidently  as 
tombs  of  royalty. 

But  the  most  curious  theory  is  that  advanced  by  Piazzi 
Smyth,  Professor  of  Astronomy  in  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh, and  those  who  adopt  his  views.  From  certain  calcula- 
tion based  upon  a  granite  "  boss,"  or  projection  on  one  of  the 
stones  in  the  vestibule  of  the  king's  chamber,  which  they  regard 
as  a  standard  for  the  inch  and  cubit,  they  claim  that  this  pyramid 
was  built  by  inspiration,  the  same  as  Solomon's  Temple  or 
Noah's  Ark,  under  the  direction  of  the  Great  Architect  of  the 
universe,  for  astronomical  purposes,  and  as  a  physical  revela- 
tion— to  determine  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes,  the  sun's 
mean  distance  from  the  earth,  the  cardinal  points  of  the  earth's 
astronomical  axis,  the  interval  between  its  erection  and  the 
second  coming  of  Christ,  and  many  other  mysteries  of  the 
moral  and  material  universe. 

A  symbolical  meaning  is  also  attached  to  almost  every  por- 
tion of  the  structure.  The  long,  narrow  gangway  by  which 
you  enter,  is  interpreted  to  represent  the  Jewish  dispensation ; 
the  grand  gallery,  the  Christian  Church ;  the  king's  chamber, 
the  heavenly  world  ;  and  the  sarcophagus,  or  coffer  therein, 
the  throne  of  the  Eternal.  It  is  also  claimed  that  the  "  well " 
leading  down  to  the  base  of  the  pyramid  represents  the  way  to 
perdition ;  the  souterrain  or  cavern  below,  hades  or  the  grave ; 
the  inclining  wall,  the  impending  judgment  of  God ;  and  the 
supposed  tomb  of  Cheops,  far  down  in  the  solid  rock,  hell,  or 
the  prison  of  the  damned.  All  which  we  regard  as  very 
apocryphal  :  nothing  more  than  ''  extravagant  nonsense." 
If  one  is  allowed  to  establish  his  own  standard  of  weights  and 
measurements,  he  can  prove  almost  anything  from  it ;  and  this 
whole  argument  reminds  me  of  the  absurd  speculation*  con- 


COLOSSAL    SPHIXX. 


51 


cerning  Jacob's  pillow,  or  tlie  "  Stone  of  Destiny  "  in  the  coro- 
nation chair  of  England. 

Five  minutes'  walk  from  this  unsolved  problem  is  another 
equally  as  wonderful.  "VVe  refei  to  the  colossal  Sphinx.  This 
enigma  of  history,  which  recent  discoveries  show  to  be  older 


THE  SPHINX. 


than  the  pyramids,  has  the  head  of  a  man  and  the  body  of  a 
Hon  in  a  recumbent  posture — a  combination  of  great  wisdom 
and  strength. 

According  to  the  legend,  this  fabulous  monster  visited  differ- 
ent cities,  pi'opounding  certain  riddles,  which  if  the  people 
failed  to  guess,  they  were  at  once  destroyed,  with  their  city. 
Finally  this  nondescript  came  to  Egypt  with  the  conundrum, 
What  animal  is  it  that  walks  on  four  legs  in  the  morning,  on 
two  at  noon,  and  three  at  night  ?  They  called  together  their 
seers,  and  the  answer  was  man  ;  who  in  his  infancy,  or  morn- 
ing of  life,  creeps  upon  his  liands  and  feet ;  in  his  meridian, 


52  BIBLE   LANDS. 

stands  erect ;  and  in  his  old  age,  or  evening  of  life,  leans  upon 
his  staff  for  support.  The  question  having  been  answered,  the 
Sphinx,  so  the  story  runs,  immediately  destroyed  itseK,  or  was 
turned  into  stone,  as  it  now  appears. 

This  gigantic  idol,  the  local  deity  of  the  old  Egyptians,  is 
perhaps  the  largest  image  ever  worshiped.  The  body  measures 
one  hundred  and  forty  feet  long,  not  including  the  fore  paws, 
which  extended  about  fifty  feet  in  front,  and  between  which 
stood  the  altar,  from  which  the  smoke  of  incense  went  up  into 
its  huge  nostrils.  The  head,  including  the  hehnet,  is  one  hun- 
dred and  two  feet  in  circumference,  and  the  body,  just  back  of 
the  neck,  forty  feet  in  diameter.  It  is  all  cut  out  of  one  block 
of  stone,  in  situ,  being  a  portion  of  the  native  limestone  rock 
that  here  crops  out  of  the  desert. 

The  features  are  purely  Egyptian,  and  the  red  paint  can  still 
be  seen  upon  the  face  and  neck.  What  events  have  transpired 
under  those  sightless  eyes  which  look  out  so  pensively  and  wist- 
fully, as  if  they  had  some  great  secret  to  reveal !  Ah,  could 
those  thick  lips  speak,  what  volumes  they  would  relate !  What 
mysteries  they  would  unravel  I  Wbat  a  flood  of  light  they 
would  pour  upon  the  early  history  of  our  race !  Alas,  they 
are  sealed  forever!  Here  this  representative  of  royalty  has 
patiently  reclined  for  four  thousand  years,  watching  with  sleep- 
less vigilance  the  ashes  of  the  mighty  dead  reposing  beneath 
its  gaze.  One  cannot  but  feel  a  degree  of  reverence  for  this 
monster  idol  when  he  considers  its  great  antiquity ;  that  it  has 
witnessed  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  greatest  empires  of  earth,  is 
older  than  the  pyramids,  and  yet  reclines  upon  its  stony  couch 
to-day,  as  it  did  before  a  verse  in  the  Bible  was  written,  when 
darkness  prevailed  over  the  land,  and  the  Nile,  at  its  base, 
poured  down  rivers  of  blood. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

MEMPHIS,  THE  NOPH  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

Bojal  City  of  Osiris — Scene  of  the  Miracles  of  Moses — Statue  of  Rameses  II. — Ne- 
cropolis of  Egypt — Mummy  Pits — Victims  of  Divine  Vengeance — Fulfillment 
of  Prophecy — Mausoleum  of  Apis — Grand  Temple  of  Serapis — Tomb  of  Tih 
— Interesting  Sculptures. 

SITUATED  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Nile,  a  few  miles 
south  of  the  Pyramids  of  Ghizeh,  is  Memphis,  the  Noph  of 
Scripture,  founded  by  Menes,  the  first  recorded  King  of  Egypt, 
and  for  a  thousand  years  the  capital  of  the  old  monarchy,  and 
the  most  magnificent  city  in  Egypt.  It  was  here  Joseph  served 
as  governor,  and  Pharaoh  reigned  in  the  days  of  Moses  and 
the  patriarchs ;  and  no  doubt  some  of  the  buildings  whose  ruins 
may  still  be  seen  in  this  vicinity  were  constructed  by  the  He- 
brews during  their  long  bondage.  The  embankments  that  once 
protected  the  city  from  the  inundations  of  the  river  have  ages 
ago  been  washed  away,  and  the  rich  alluvial  deposits  of  twenty 
centuries  have  weU-nigh  obliterated  the  site  of  this  once  cele- 
brated place,  and  a  beautiful  grove  of  date-bearing  palm-trees 
now  wave  their  long,  feathery  branches  over  the  tomb  of  the 
city  of  Osiris.  Scarcely  a  vestige  remains  of  the  grand  tem- 
ples that  were  once  the  chief  glory  of  Memphis.  Some 
blocks  of  granite,  broken  columns,  mounds  of  sun-dried  brick, 
massive  foundations,  and  a  colossal  statue  of  Rameses  II.,  lying 
with  his  face  in  a  pool  of  water,  as  if  bemoaning  the  departure 
of  his  glory  and  the  fate  of  his  kingdom,  are  all  that  remain 
by  which  the  place  can  now  be  identified. 

53 


54  BIBLE    LANDS. 

This  statue,  originally  about  fifty  feet  high,  was  one  of  two 
that  stood  in  front  of  the  great  gate-way  leading  to  the  grana 
temple  of  Phtah  or  Osiris.  An  amulet  is  suspended  from  the 
neck,  somewhat  like  the  breastplate  of  the  high-priest  among 
the  Jews,  and  the  name  of  Eameses  the  Great  may  still  be 
seen  engraved  upon  his  girdle,  and  on  the  scroll  which  he  holds 
in  his  hand.  The  face  is  well  preserved,  looks  youthful,  and 
by  many  is  considered  beautiful. 

A  life-size  figure  of  his  daughter  is  represented  standing  by 
his  side,  which  possesses  additional  interest  from  the  fact  that 
this  is  probably  the  Pharaoh's  daughter  who  adopted  Moses ; 
and  his  son,  Menephtah,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  empire,  and 
whose  statue  may  be  seen  in  the  museum  at  Cairo,  is  supposed 
to  be  the  Pharaoh  of  the  Exodus  who  pursued  the  Israelites, 
and  was  destroyed  with  the  Egyptians  in  the  Red  Sea. 

The  present  condition  of  Memphis  fulfills  almost  literally 
the  predictions  of  the  Jewish  prophets  concerning  her :  "  I  will 
destroy  the  idols  out  of  ISToph ;  ...  the  pomp  of  her  strength 
shall  cease ;  .  .  .  a  cloud  shall  cover  her,  for  Noph  shall  be 
waste  and  desolate,  without  an  inhabitant."  ' 

Directly  back  of  these  ruins — back  of  the  forest  of  palm- 
trees — and  about  four  miles  back  from  the  river,  you  strike  the 
great  Libyan  desert  and  the  Necropolis  of  Memphis.  The 
contrast  between  the  green  valley  of  the  Nile  and  the  bleak 
African  desert  is  like  that  of  life  and  death ;  making  it  an  ap- 
propriate sepuicher  for  the  myriads  that  repose  beneath  its 
shadowing  wings. 

This  vast  cemetery,  the  oldest  and  largest  in  the  world, 
extending  from  the  Pyramids  of  Ghizeh  on  the  north  to  those 
of  Dashur  on  the  south,  a  distance  of  perhaps  twenty  miles, 

'  Ezek.  XXX,  13-18;  Jer.  xlvi,  19. 


MU.AIMY    PITS.  55 

is  estimated  to  contain  at  least  twenty-five  million  human 
bodies,  besides  innumerable  ibises  and  embalmed  animals.  In 
strolling  tlirougli  this  metropolis  of  the  dead  one  is  shocked  at 
the  number  of  skulls  and  other  human  remains  that  lie  bleach- 
ing in  the  sun ;  often  the  head  or  feet  of  a  mmnmy  protrud- 
ing from  the  sand,  and  the  desert  around  strewn  with  arms  and 
legs,  hands  and  feet,  sometimes  whole  bodies,  still  wrapped  in 
their  winding  sheets,  calling  vividly  to  mind  EzekieFs  vision 
of  dry  bones,  for  "  Behold,  there  were  very  many  .  .  .  and, 
lo,  they  were  very  dry,"  and  continually  prompting  the  in- 
quiry, "  Can  these  bones  live  ^ "  and  the  answer,  "  0  Lord  God, 
thou  knowest." ' 


-.'SJ 


MUMMY    CASE. 


We  entered  several  pits  that  appeared  to  be  the  burial-places 
for  the  lower  classes,  and  found  long  galleries  cut  in  the  lime- 
stone rock  that  underlies  the  desert,  filled  with  mummies  piled 
one  upon  another  six  and  eight  courses  deep,  like  cord-wood, 
all  carefully  embalmed,  and  looking  as  fresh  as  if  laid  but  yes- 
terday in  their  quiet  tombs ;  and  yet  these  countless  thousands 
were  the  men  and  women  who  lived  in  the  days  of  Abraham 
and  Joseph  and  Moses ! 

We  spent  hours  in  going  from  pit  to  pit,  wandering  through 
the  courts  of  death  between  walls  of  human  mummies,  some  beau- 
tifully encased,  with  their  arms  folded  across  their  breasts,  hold- 

1  Ezek.  xxxvii,  3. 


56  BIBLE   LANDS. 

ing  some  little  charm  or  idol  in  their  embrace,  just  as  they  were 
laid  to  rest  by  loving  friends  three  or  four  thousand  years  ago. 
And,  what  is  most  revolting,  the  natives  .are  using  these  mum- 
mies for  fuel,  and  fertiHzing  their  fields  with  the  dust  and  ashes 
of  their  ancestors !  Even  stripping  them  of  their  winding- 
sheets,  and  sending  cargoes  of  the  linen  wrappings  to  Europe 
and  America  for  the  manufacture  of  paper.  Some  of  the  linen 
was  of  the  finest  texture,  over  five  hundred  threads  to  each 
inch  of  warp. 

For  scientific  purposes  we  examined  many  of  these  remains, 
and  to  our  surprise  found  them  mostly  young  persons,  their 
heads  thickly  coated  with  straight  black  hair,  all  their  teeth 
sound,  their  bodies  well  proportioned  and  of  full  habit,  as  if 
they  had  died  suddenly.  They  also  appeared  to  have  been  em- 
balmed hastily — simply  wrapped  in  swathing  bands  and  dipped 
in  common  pitch  or  bitumen. 

As  it  was  here,  or  near  this,  that  Moses  wrought  his  miracles 
before  Pharaoh,  and  as  this  was  the  Necropolis  for  all  Egypt, 
may  not  some  of  these  be  the  victims  of  divine  wrath  who 
perished  on  that  eventful  night,  when  the  destroying  angel 
swept  through  the  land,  cutting  off  "  the  first-born,"  the  flower 
and  hope  of  the  family,  in  every  Egyptian  household  ?  And 
may  not  Hosea  have  reference  to  this  visitation  when  he  says ; 
"  Egypt  shall  gather  them  up ;  Memphis  shall  bury  them."  ' 
How  solemn  the  reflection ! 

In  the  center  of  this  Necropolis  are  the  pyramids  of  Sakara, 
the  royal  tombs  of  the  Memphite  kings,  bald  with  age,  and 
looking  as  old  as  the  sand  hills  among  which  they  stand.  There 
are  eleven  in  the  group,  the  largest  of  which  is  curiously  built 
in  stages  or  terraces  diminishing  as  they  go  up,  and  is  claimed 

'  Hosea  ix,  6. 


MAUSOLEUM    OF   APIS. 


57 


to  be  the  most  ancient  monument  in  the  world,  which  seems 
plausible,  as  Memphis  signifies  the  City  of  the  Pyramids,  or 
home  of  the  dead,  and  may  have  derived  its  name  from  this 
venerable  ruin. 

Ten  minutes'  walk  over  the  ridge  to  the  north  of  this  Pyra- 
mid brings  you  to  the  Serapeum  or  Mausoleum  of  Apis,  a  most 
remarkable  ruin,  and  until  within 
a  few  years  buried  to  the  depth  of 
seventy  feet  beneath  the  ever-drift- 
ing sands.  Apis,  or  the  sacred  bull, 
was  regarded  as  the  incarnation  of 
Osiris,  the  god  of  the  Nile,  and 
greatest  divinity  in  Egypt.  Mem- 
phis was  the  seat  of  his  worship, 
and  the  Serajjeum  his  place  of 
burial       Here   is   a   vast   temple  ^"^' 

twelve  hundred  feet  long,  excavated  in  the  solid  rock,  over 
which  once  stood  the  temple  of  Serapis,  where  the  sacred 
cubit  and  other  symbols  were  kept,  and  funeral  services  held— 
a  still  more  elegant  edifice,  now  entirely  gone,  as  is  also  the 
avenue  of  sphinxes  that  led  up  to  its  grand  portal.  Open- 
ing out  of  this  subterranean  tomb  to  the  right  and  left,  but 
never  directly  opposite  one  another,  are  long  rows  of  large 
vaulted  recesses  or  mortuary  chapels  hewn  also  out  of  the  native 
rock,  in  each  of  which  is  a  colossal  sarcophagus,  thirteen  feet 
long  by  eight  M-ide  and  eleven  high,  all  but  the  lid  cut  out  of 
a  solid  block  of  red,  gray,  or  black  granite,  polished  beautifully. 
An  idea  of  the  immense  size  of  these  sarcophagi  may  be  had, 
when  I  state  that  five  of  us  ascended  by  a  ladder  to  the  top  of 
one,  the  lid  of  which  was  partly  removed,  and  then  by  the  aid 
of  another  ladder  we  descended  into  the  interior,  and  could  stand 


58  BIBLE    LANDS. 

erect  in  it  and  walk  about  with  ease,  there  being  room  enough 
for  as  many  more.  Some  of  the  sarcophagi  bear  hieroglyphic 
inscriptions  by  which  their  date  may  be  determined,  and  the 
side  walls  of  the  chapels  are  covered  with  inscribed  tablets  or 
ex  votos,  giving  full  details  of  the  age,  death,  and  burial  of  the 
Apis,  and  the  persons  present  on  the  occasion.  Ten  of  these 
sarcophagi  appear  never  to  have  been  used ;  they  are  in  the 
vaults  with  their  lids  lying  by  their  sides,  but  for  some  cause 
have  never  been  occupied.  Here,  in  this  grand  Mausoleum, 
the  Apis  mummies  were  deposited ;  here  they  reposed,  not  in 
regal,  but  divine,  state ;  and  in  the  magnificent  temple  of  Ser- 
apis  the  sacred  bull  through  long  centuries  was  worshiped 
with  greater  pomp  than  any  other  god  in  Egypt ! 

A  little  to  the  north-east  of  the  Serapeuni  is  the  Tomb  of 
Tih,  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  preserved  in  Egypt,  dating  back 
to  the  fifth  dynasty  of  the  old  empire,  at  least  four  thousand 
years,  and  yet  the  walls  are  as  plumb  and  straight  as  if  the 
work  of  yesterday.  Tih  was  a  priest  of  Memphis,  and  appears 
to  have  been  a  man  of  great  wealth.  No  description  of  ours 
can  do  justice  to  this  beautiful  tomb.  The  whole  interior  is 
covered  with  paintings  and  sculpture  in  bass-relief,  representing 
all  the  events  of  note  in  his  life,  and  all  the  customs  of  the  old 
Egyptians.  In  one  hall  Tih  is  pictured  with  his  wife  and  sons, 
overseeing  his  servants  at  work  on  his  farm.  In  the  foreground 
cattle  are  browsing  in  the  meadows,  oxen  plowing  in  the  fields, 
and  others  treading  out  the  grain.  In  the  distance  may  be  seen 
the  river,  with  boats  sailing,  men  fishing,  and  birds  of  all  lands 
on  the  water  or  flying  through  the  air.  On  another  sculpture 
servants  may  be  seen  reaping  the  harvest  under  the  eye  of 
their  task-masters,  others  binding  up  the  sheaves,  and  others 
again  gathering  them  into  heaps  with  three-pronged  forks,  vei-y 


TOMB    OF   TLB. 


59 


much  after  the  present  style.  And  in  other  apartments  his 
numerous  friends  are  represented  bringing  their  offerings  of 
oxen,  fruits,  vegetables,  and  other  articles,  for  the  anniversary 
ceremonies  in  honor  of  the  dead.  All  the  figures  are  full  of 
life,  of  exquisite  workmanship,  and  the  coloring  remarkably 
fresh. 

Tih  evidently  looked  upon  this  life  as  transitory,  and  the  fu- 
ture as  eternal.  His  farm  buildings  where  he  resided,  as  here 
shown,  though  elegantly  designed  and  richly  decorated,  are 
constructed  of  wood  and  other  perishable  materials ;  while  his 
tomb,  which  was  also  built  during  his  Hfe-time,  is  constructed 
of  stone  in  the  most  substantial  manner,  as  if  designed  to 
last  forever.  It  is  also  a  noteworthy  fact  that  all  symbolical 
representations  of  the  resurrection  of  the  human  body,  and  the 
life  of  the  soul  in  the  great  future,  so  common  on  Egyptian 
monuments,  are  wanting  here,  and  are  never  found  on  tombs  of 
the  old  Empire  prior  to  the  settlement  of  the  Hebrews  in 
Egypt. 

There  are  many  other  temples  and  tombs  in  tliis  vicinity,  but 
they  are  mostly  rendered  inaccessible  by  the  sand  drifts  that 
for  so  many  ages  have  preserved  these  works  of  antiquity. 
Truly  "  saith  the  Lord,  ...  I  will  make  the  land  of  Egypt 
utterly  waste  and  desolate,  from  the  tower  of  Syene  even  unto 
the  border  of  Ethiopia."  ' 

»  Ezekiel  xxix,  8-10. 


ERTPTIAN    ?'UNKRAL. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THEBES,  THE  NOAMON    OF  THE   BIBLE. 

Hundred-gated  Thebes— Without  WaU  or  Gates— Land  of  the  Winged  Globe- 
Grand  Temples  of  Karaak  and  Luxor— Similarity  to  the  Temple  of  Solomon- 
Egyptian  Idols— Historic  Sculpture— Medeenet  Haboo— The  Ramesium— 
Colossal  Statue  of  Rameses  IL— The  Vocal  Memnon— Tombs  of  the  Kings. 

THEBES,  the  No-Amon  of  the  Bible,  long  the  capital  of 
Upper  Egypt,  and  rival  of  Memphis  and  Nineveh,  was 
situated  on  both  banks  of  the  Nile,  about  six  hundred  miles 
from  the  sea.  Its  early  history  is  involved  in  much  obscurity, 
there  being  no  reliable  records  preserved  beyond  the  eight- 
eenth  dynasty,  B.  C.  1500. 

Strabo,  Diodorus,  and  other  ancient  historians  speak  in  the 
most  glowing  terms  of  the  wealth,  power,  and  magnificence  of 
this  city,  and  Homer  has  immortahzed  it  as  "  hundred-gated 
Thebes."  The  poet  must  have  had  reference  to  the  propylse, 
or  gates  of  her  numerous  temples  and  palaces,  as  recent  re- 
searches prove  conclusively  that  the  city  never  could  have  been 
inclosed  with  walls,  that  the  river  was  always  its  principal  de- 
fense ;  and,  what  is  remarkable,  the  Scriptures  clearly  state 
this  fact.  A  correct  rendering  of  the  description  of  this  city 
aa  given  by  the  Prophet  Nahum,'  represents  it  as  situated  on 
the  river— that  is,  on  the  river  Nile— there  being  no  other 
river  in  Egypt — ^having  "the  waters  round  about  it,"  .  .  . 
"whose  ramparts  were  the  sea-like  river,  and  her  walls  the 
sea-like  river."     And  if  the  old  Grecian  bard  had  consulted 

'  Nahum  iii,  8. 
60 


GRAND  TEMPLE  OF  KARNAK. 


61 


the  Bible,  lie  probably  would  not  have  been  guilty  of  tlie 
above  misnomer. 

A  large  portion  of  Thebes  was  built  on  an  island  in  the 
midst  of  the  river,  and  the  other  portions  were  surrounded  by 


Wmk: 


RUINS    OF    LUXOR. 


deep,  wide  canals,  which  may  still  be  traced,  so  that  the  place 
literally  was  "  among  the  rivers,"  and  of  great  strength. 

About  all  that  remains  of  this  once  populous  city,  east  of 
the  river,  are  the  world-renowned  ruins  of  her  grand  temples 
at  Ivarnak  and  Luxor — two  modern  villages  that  have  sprung 
up  under  the  shadow  of  these  unrivaled  edifices. 

The  temples  of  Thebes  were  stone  structures  of  the  most 
massive  workmanship,  but  the  city  proper  was  built  of  sun- 
dried  bricks,  and,  owing  to  the  annual  inundations  of  the  Nile, 
has  long  since  crumbled  to  dust,  and  is  now  buried  from  ten  to 
twenty  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the  plain.     And  we  fear 


62 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


THSBAN   SPHINZ. 


the  same  fate  awaits  her  more  enduring  monuments,  as  the  bed 
of  the  river  and  whole  valley  of  the  Lower  Nile  are  gradually 
filling  up  from  the  deposits  left  by  each  overflow ;  and  the 
water,  saturated  with  niter,  now  comes  up  every  season  several 
feet  in  her  temples,  and  is  slowly  but  surely  eating  away  their 
foundations,  and  in  time  must  utterly  destroy  the  last  vestige 
of  Egypt's  once  splendid  metropolis. 

The  great  Temple  of  Kar- 
nak,  dedicated  to  Amon,  the 
Egyptian  Jupiter,  and  presid- 
ing divinity  of  Thebes,  is  situ- 
ated about  half  a  mile  east  of 
the  river,  and  one  mile  and  a 
half  north  of  the  temple  at 
Luxor,  the  two  having  origi- 
nally been  connected  by  an  avenue  of  colossal  statues  and 
ram-headed  sphinxes. 

Any  description  we  might  attempt  of  this,  the  grandest 
monumental  work  ever  executed  by  man,  must  fall  so  far 
short  of  the  reality  that  we  hesitate  even  to  approach  the 
subject.  To  describe  in  detail  a  single  column  of  this  edifice 
would  fill  a  volume.  And  yet  no  two  of  the  forest  of  columns 
that  adorn  this  immense  building  are  alike — the  sculpture, 
coloring,  and  inscriptions  on  each  being  different. 

The  temple  area  was  a  square  of  about  ninety  acres,  one 
third  of  which  was  covered  by  the  buildings  of  the  temple 
proper.  Leading  to  this  sacred  inclosure  were  twelve  principal 
gates  facing  the  four  cardinal  points,  three  upon  each  side,  one 
within  the  other  at  regular  distances,  and  connected  by  colon- 
nades or  avenues  of  sphinxes.  These  gate-ways  to  her  temples 
are  among  the  grandest  remains  in  Egypt.     They  generally 


HALL    OF    COLUMNS.  63 

consist  of  two  lofty  pyramidal  towers  of  massive  masonry,  with 
the  pylon,  or  portal,  between  them.  Obelisks  and  colossal 
statues  usually  stood  on  either  side  of  the  entrance,  and  on  the 
stone  Kntel  over  the  pylon,  cut  in  alto-reKevo,  was  always  to  be 
seen  that  mysterious  symbol  of  divinity  and  eternity,  a  globe 
with  two  large,  outspread  wings.  May  not  Isaiah  refer  to  this 
figure  when  he  speaks  of  "  The  land  shadowing  with  wings," ' 
which  Hterally  means  the  land  of  the  winged  globe  ? 


WINGED    OLOBE. 


In  approaching  the  Karnak  temple  from  the  west,  you  first 
ascend  a  raised  platform,  passing  over  which,  under  the  gaze 
of  a  double  row  of  colossal  sphinxes,  much  mutilated,  you 
come  to  the  outer  propylon,  an  immense  gate-way  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy  feet  front  by  fifty  deep,  and  one  hundred 
and  forty  feet  high,  through  which  you  enter  a  court  about 
three  hundred  feet  square,  with  covered  corridors  along  the 
sides,  and  the  remains  of  a  colonnade  down  the  center.  This 
brings  you  to  a  second  gate-way  almost  as  large  as  the  first, 
guarded  by  two  cyclopean  statues  of  Rameses  II.  Passing 
this  pylon,  the  lintel  of  which  is  one  stone  over  forty  feet  long, 
you  emerge  into  the  grand  hall  of  Sethi  I.,  father  of  Rameses 
the  Great,  and  supposed  to  be  the  Pharaoh  Joseph  served  as 
governor.  This,  perhaps  the  grandest  hall  ever  constructed 
by  the  genius  of  man,  certainly  the  grandest  of  all  the  monu- 
ments in  Egypt,  is  three  hundred  and  twenty-nine  feet  long  by 
one  hundred  and  seventy  wide,  and  in  the  clear-story  eighty 

'  Isaiah  xviii,  1. 


64 


BIBLE   LANDS. 


feet  high.  The  stone  ceiHng,  resting  on  stone  girders,  is  sup- 
ported by  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  immense  cohmms,  the 
largest  sixty-six  feet  high  without  the  base,  and  within  a  few 
inches  of  thirty-six  feet  in  circumference,  the  smallest  over 
forty-two  feet  high  and  twenty-eight  feet  in  circumference,  all 
beautifully  sculptured,  with  capitals  representing  the  full-blown 
lotus  and  papyrus.     The  effect  when  one  first  enters  this  gor- 


TEMPLE    OP    KAENAK. 


geous  hall  is  so  bewildering  that   you  involuntarily  exclaim, 
Wonderful !    wonderful ! 

Continuing  through  the  "Hall  of  Columns,"  and  passing 
another  massive  gate-way,  near  which  stands  a  graceful  obelisk 
dedicated  to  Thothmes  I.,  you  enter  an  inner  court  surrounded 
by  a  peristyle  of  twenty-eiglit  giant  Osiride  pillars,  represent- 


EGYPTIAN   IDOLS.  65 

ing  Osiris,  with  arms  crossed  upon  his  breast,  holding  in  one 
hand  the  knotted  scourge,  and  in  the  other  the  key  of  the 
Nile  or  symbol  of  life.  In  this  court  once  stood  two  red 
granite  obelisks  ninety-two  feet  high  and  eight  square — the 
largest  in  Egypt,  if  not  in  the  world.  One  lies  broken  on  the 
pavement,  shattered  to  fragments  apparently  by  lightning ;  the 
other  still  stands  erect,  as  if  defying  the  thunder-bolt  that  laid 
its  comrade  in  the  dust. 

Passing  yet  another  pylon  and  two  smaller  obelisks,  you 
come  to  the  Sanctuary  itself,  within  which  was  the  "  Holy  of 
Holies,"  the  abode  of  Am  on.  This  is  the  oldest  and  most 
sacred  portion  of  the  temple,  belonging  to  the  twelfth 
dynasty,  B.C.  2000 ;  but  owing  to  its  ruinous  condition,  it 
affords  little  satisfaction  to  the  visitor.  Still  beyond  this  is 
another  court,  then  comes  the  columnar  edifice  of  Thothmes 
in.,  the  HaU  of  Ancestors,  and  many  smaller  chapels,  aU  fast 
going  to  decay.  But,  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  this  magnifi 
cent  temple,  you  must  wander  through  its  long  colonnades,  ex- 
plore its  mysterious  passages,  reconstruct  its  demolished  parts, 
replace  its  idols,  rekindle  the  fires  upon  its  altars,  re-people  its 
courts  with  thousands  of  devout  worshipers,  study  the  religious 
and  historic  scenes  pictured  upon  its  walls,  finally,  ascend  to  its 
highest  pinnacle  and  take  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  whole  vast 
structure,  and  then,  but  not  tiU  then,  wiU  you  be  able  to  com- 
prehend the  magnitude  and  grandeur  of  the  great  Temple  of 
Karnak !  We  have  been  thus  particular  in  describing  Karnak, 
because  this  magnificent  edifice  was  erected  when  Joseph  ruled 
the  land ;  and  as  he  had  charge  of  all  internal  improvements, 
Jacob's  favorite  son  may  have  been  the  architect  of  this,  the 
grandest  temple  in  the  world. 

This  main  temple  was  but  the  center  of  a  system  of  many 
5 


66  BIBLE   LANDS. 

smaller  ones,  dedicated  to  different  divinities.  In  one  of  them 
we  found  the  image  of  a  colossal  hawk,  the  symbol  of  Amon, 
and  of  Ra,  the  physical  sun.  The  reigning  king  was  con- 
sidered the  sun  of  Eg}^t,  and  regarded  as  the  offspring  of  the 
sun,  and  hence  was  called  Pharaoh,  from  "Phra,"  the  sun. 
In  another  large  temple  the  only  idols  found  were  about  fifty 
cats ;  and  in  another,  the  floor  of  which  was  alabaster,  we  found 
nothing  but  a  huge  monkey  in  black  basalt,  or,  as  Darwin  would 
say,  man  in  one  of  his  early  stages  of  development.  Unfor- 
tunately, however,  for  this  development  theory,  aU  the  speci- 
mens of  the  early  Eg}^tians  thus  far  discovered  show  a  much 
more  perfect  and  better-developed  race  than  the  present  gen- 
eration— that  they  are  physically  degenerating  rather  than  pro- 
gressing, and  without  the  aid  of  divine  grace  are  more  likely 
to  retrograde  to  monkeys  with  tails  than  ever  to  advance  to 
angels  with  wings  by  any  mere  process  of  evolution,  though 
continued  through  countless  ages. 

And  is  it  not  unaccountably  strange  that  a  people  capable  of 
building  such  wonderful  and  enduring  monuments  should  be 
so  superstitious  and  degraded  as  to  worship  such  deities  as 
birds,  cats,  monkeys,  and  the  like  ? 

As  Strabo  observed,  Thebes  had  many  temples,  but  we  omit 
details,  as  there  was  a  great  similarity  in  Egyptian  temples. 
There  was  also  a  striking  resemblance  in  them  to  the  Temple 
of  Solomon. 

They  all  had  their  sanctum  sanctoi'um,  or  most  holy  place, 
the  abode  of  the  deity  to  whom  the  temple  was  dedicated,  and 
into  which  not  even  the  high  priest  was  allowed  to  enter. 
This  was  located  in  the  center  or  at  one  end  of  the  sanctuary, 
which  was  overhung  with  rich  white  drapery,  like  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  Jews.     In  this  sanctuary  stood  the  altar  of  incense, 


KARNAK    C03IPAEED    AV^ITH    SOLOMON'S    TEMPLE. 


67 


wliere  the  priests  officiated,  and  here  was  kept  the  sacred  ark 
containing  the  golden  sistrum,  or  emblem  of  the  deity.  This 
building,  which  stood  alone,  was  surrounded  by  many  small 
chapels,  dedicated  to  different  gods,  and  used  for  different  pur- 
poses. Then  came  the  outer  courts,  halls,  and  other  temples, 
the  votive  offerings  of  successive  kings  through  many  gen- 
erations, in  acknowledgment  of  mercies  received,  victories 
achieved,  or  some  great  event  in  their  reign ;  the  whole  being 
inclosed  with  strong  high  walls.  One  j)eculiar  feature  of 
EgyjDtian  temples  is,  the  largest  and  grandest  halls  are  the 
farthest  removed  from  the  sanctuary,  as  each  successive  Pha- 
raoh endeavored  to  outrival  his  predecessors. 

These  temples  are  all  profusely  decorated ;  the  ceilings  are 
often  of  azure  blue,  studded  with  golden  stars ;  and  every  wall 
and  column,  architrave  and  frieze,  statue  and  obelisk,  covered 
with  pictorial  representations  in  sculpt- 
ure or  painting  of  every  important 
event  in  the  history  of  their  nation  or 
career  of  their  kings.  So  we  have 
here  the  history  of  the  oldest  nation 
in  the  world,  beautifully  preserved  in 
bass-reliefs  and  hieroglyphics,  so  legi- 
bly written  that  both  the  learned  and 
illiterate  can  read  it  without  difficulty. 

Among  the  many  beautiful  historic 
scenes  here  j)resented  is  one  on  the 
outer  wall  of  tlie  grand  hall,  repre- 
senting the  conquest  of  Palestine  by 
Shishonk  I.,  the  Shishak  of  Scripture, 
who,  after  taking  Jerusalem  and  plun- 
dering the  temple,  returns  with  great 


REHOBOAil. 


68  BIBLE    LANDS. 

treasures  and  many  prisoners ;  among  them,  with  a  rope  round 
his  neck  and  his  arms  lashed  behind,  may  be  seen  Eehoboam, 
Kiug  of  Judah,  the  son  and  successor  of  Solomon.  The  name 
of  Judah  Malek  on  the  shield,  and  the  purely  Jewish  features 
oi'  the  prisoners,  especially  their  beards,  indicate  clearly  the 
country  and  people  this  sculpture  is  intended  to  represent. 

The  larger  portion  of  ancient  Thebes  probably  lay  east  of 
the  Nile,  and  though  the  name  applied  equally  to  both  districts, 
that  portion  west  of  the  river  was  frequently  called  "  The  Lib- 
yan suburb,"  and  was  under  the  special  protection  of  Athor, 
the  Egyptian  Yenus,  to  whom  the  Theban  Necropolis— where 
it  was  fancied  she  received  the  setting  smi  in  her  embrace — 
was  dedicated. 

At  the  base  of  the  Libyan  range  of  mountains,  west  of  the 
river,  and  about  three  miles  west  of  Luxor,  stands  the  temple 
Medeenet  Haboo — the  most  ancient  and  splendid  on  that  side 
of  the  river,  and  second  only  to  Kamak.  Much  of  it  is  in 
ruins;  but  enough  remains  to  show  its  dimensions,  and  the 
artistic  skill  displayed  in  its  workmanship. 

This  temple  dates  back  to  Queen  Hatasoo,  daughter  of  Thoth- 
mes  I.,  who  erected  it  and  the  two  large  obehsks  at  Kamak  in 
honor  of  her  father.  This  princess  is  supposed  by  many  to  be 
the  Pharaoh's  daughter  who  adopted  Moses,  and  would  have 
made  him  her  successor  to  the  throne  had  he  not  refused  to  be 
called  her  son;  but  in  the  sculptures  she  never  appears  in 
female  attire,  as  women  probably  were  not  allowed  to  reign 
in  Egypt,  and  her  sex  can  only  be  determined  by  the  feminine 
form  of  speech  in  her  ovals.  It  also  appears  that  her  brother 
and  successor,  Thothmes  11. ,  in  most  instances  erased  the  name 
of  his  sister  from  her  cartouches,  and  substituted  his  own.  The 
fraud,  however,  may  be  easily  detected,  as  her  name  on  some  of 


TEMPLE  OF  MEDEENET  HABOO.  7l 

the  shields  can  still  be  traced,  and  on  the  Pharaonic  square  of 
others,  where  the  name  of  Thothmes  II.  has  been  inserted  on 
the  oval,  may  be  read,  "  She  built  this  temple,"  etc.  Nothing 
could  be  more  elaborate  or  beautiful  than  some  of  the  scenes 
here  pictured,  and  the  preservation  of  the  coloring  after  so 
many  centuries  is  truly  wonderful.  This  is  partly  owing  to 
the  following  circumstance :  When  Theodosius,  Bishop  of 
Alexandria,  in  his  pious  but  mistaken  zeal,  issued  his  cele- 
brated edict,  A.  D.  391,  for  the  suppression  of  idolatry  through- 
out Egypt,  and  ordered  the  temples  to  be  divested  of  every 
vestige  of  idolatrous  worship,  many  works  of  art  were  de- 
stroyed, and  it  is  painful  to  see  how,  with  pick  and  chisel, 
many  of  these  beautiful  temples  have  been  defaced.  Here, 
however,  the  bass-reliefs  were  so  deeply  cut  in  the  hard  granite, 
that  instead  of  erasing  the  sculptures  they  merely  plastered  them 
over.  This  temple  was  afterward  converted  into  a  Christian 
church,  as  the  frescoing  clearly  proves,  and  occasionally  very 
ludicrous  scenes  are  met  with  where  the  stucco  has  partly 
fallen  off.  In  one  of  the  halls  where  this  plastering  has  scaled 
off  may  be  seen  a  long  procession  of  priests  and  princes,  with 
Rameses  III.  at  their  head,  presenting  their  offerings  and 
burning  incense  before  Athor,  under  the  symbol  of  a  cow ; 
and  just  above,  where  the  frescoing  still  adheres  to  the  wall, 
may  be  seen  St.  Peter  with  the  keys  and  crosier,  raising  his 
hand  as  if  in  the  act  of  pronouncing  a  benediction  on  the  pagan 
worshipers. 

From  some  battle  scenes  here  represented  it  would  appear 
that  among  the  old  Egyptians  the  barbarous  practice  prevailed 
of  cutting  out  the  tongues  of  the  enemy  slain,  and  disabling 
the  captured  by  cutting  off  their  right  hands.  In  one  picture, 
three  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-five  tongues  and  three 


72 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


thousand  hands  are  presented  as  so  many  trophies,  for  which 
tlie  king  is  rewarding  the  victors.  Several  other  larger  heaps 
of  hands  and  tongues  remain  to  be  counted,  which  the  scribes 
are  carefully  doing  one  by  one  in  presence  of  his  majesty 
and  generals ;  the  captive  chiefs  standing  by  witnessing  the 
performance.  In  another  place  the  king  is  represented  as 
trampling  the  slain  beneath  his  feet,  and  putting  out  the 
eyes  of  the  captured,  or  dragging  them  behind  his  chariot. 

Some  of  the  domestic  and  social  scenes  here  pictured  are  no 
less  interesting ;  and  any  one  observing  their  style  of  dress, 
table-ware,   musical   instruments,  and    the  furniture    of  their 


TABLK-WAKE — DISH    AND    VASE 


dwellings,  will  see  that  this  ancient  people  enjoyed  a  higher 
state  of  civilization  than  is  generally  conceded  them.  The 
ladies  appear  in  gloves,  with  flowing  flounces  on  their  dresses, 
carrying  fans  and  parasols  of  ostrich  feathers ;  some  wearing 
fancy  head-dresses,  others  bracelets  and  necklaces  of  gold  and 
precious  stones,  in  the  very  latest  style  of  jewelry  worn  in  Paris 
and  ISTew  York.  In  their  private  apartments  may  be  seen  rich 
sofas  and  chairs,  vases  of  porcelain  and  glass,  vessels  of  gold, 
silver,  and  bronze,  in  design  equal  to  any  thing  modern.  The 
finest  devices  found  among  Grecian  remains  may  be  seen  here 

>  The  inscription  on  the  vase  is  the  name  of  Menephta,  the  Pharaoh  of  the  Exodus. 


COLOSSAL   STATUE.  73 

on  monuments  of  the  earliest  period,  and  were  evidently  bor- 
rowed by  the  Greeks  from  the  Egyptians. 

In  some  respects  the  most  important  feature  of  this  temple, 
and  of  other  ruins  in  the  vicinity,  is  the 
use  of  the  arch ;  the  origin  of  which  has  so 
long  been  a  matter  of  dispute,  but  is  gener- 
ally conceded  to  the  Romans.     Some  cav- 

AsciENT  EGYPTIAN  i^^rs  havo  qucstioued  the  antiquity  of  cer- 
^^^^^-  tain  ruins  in  Palestine  on  account  of  the 

arch  being  found  among  the  remains ;  but  we  find  here  stone 
and  brick  arches,  pointed  and  circular,  dating  back  at  least  a 
thousand  years  before  Rome  was  founded,  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  their  age,  as  every  brick  bears  the  stamp  and  name 
of  the  Pharaoh  during  whose  reign  it  was  made.  Mr.  Layard 
also,  in  his  explorations'  at  Nimroud,  discovered  the  arch,  and 
arched  gate-ways  are  frequently  seen  on  the  oldest  Assyrian  bass- 
reliefs,  so  that  the  arches  under  the  temple  site  at  Jerusalem 
are  no  argument  against  the  antiquity  of  those  remains. 

Among  the  tombs  on  the  edge  of  the  desert,  and  about  one 
mile  north  of  Medeenet  Haboo,  stands  the  Ramesium,  or  tem- 
ple of  Rameses  II.,  the  unrivaled  Menmomium  of  Strabo. 

In  point  of  architectural  symmetry  and  elegance  of  design 
this  temple  equals  any  other  in  Egypt.  But  many  of  its  beau- 
tiful colmnns  are  gone,  the  rich  coloring  on  the  walls  is  fast 
fading  out,  and  its  grand  propylon  is  nothing  but  a  heap  of 
rubbish. 

The  celebrity  of  this  temple  or  tomb  of  Rameses  II.  was  chiefly 
owing  to  the  colossal  statue  that  once  stood  in  the  outer  court 
on  the  left  of  the  main  entrance.  This  enormous  statue — the 
largest  in  Egypt — was  a  monolith  of  syenite  granite  i^racefully 
proportioned,  and  is  supposed  to  have  weighed  in  its  rongli  state 


74 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


not  less  than  one  thousand  tons.  It  was  erected  about  B.  C. 
1320,  and  desigued  to  represent  Rameses  the  Great  seated  on 
his  throne  in  a  quiet,  easy  attitude,  as  if  resting  from  his  con- 
quests and  enjoying  the  peace  his  arms  had  won.  The  statue 
measured  twenty-two  feet  four  inches  across  the  shoulders,  and 
when  entire  must  have  been  at  least  seventy-five  feet  high. 
But  some  powerful  hand  has  hurled  it  from  its  throne,  and  now 


THE    RAMESIUM. 


it  lies  broken  on  the  ground,  its  fragments  scattered  in  every 
direction.  Portions  of  it  are  in  almost  every  museum  of  Europe. 
In  looking  upon  these  gigantic  remains  one  cannot  but  won- 
der how,  without  the  aid  of  machinery  unknown  to  us,  such  a 
ponderous  body  could  be  transported  over  land  such  a  distance  ; 
and  how  it  was  ever  raised  on  its  pedestal  after  leaving  the 
sculptor's  hands.  But  to  me  the  greater  wonder  is,  how,  before 
the  discovery  of  gunpowder,  such  a  solid  mass  of  such  hard 


COLOSSAL    STATUE. 


75 


material  could  be  broken  into  so  many  pieces  without  tlie  mark 
of  any  instrument  being  left  upon  its  j)olished  surface.  Some 
think  it  was  done  by  the  Persians ;  there  is  nothing,  however, 
to  indicate  it.  Others  attribute  its  destruction  to  an  earthquake, 
but  the  base  on  which  it  rested  is  still  in  situ,  and  furnishes  no 
evidence  of  ever  having  been  disturbed.  The  fragments  of 
this  colossus  lying  around  bear  some  marks  of  having  been 


THE    COLOSSI. 


scathed  by  lightning,  and  as  storms  accompanied  by  vivid  light- 
ning are  frequent  in  this  region,  and  granite  almost  a  non-con- 
ductor, is  it  not  more  than  probable  that  this  great  statue  of 
Egypt's  greatest  king  was  destroyed  by  a  thunder-bolt  from 
heaven  ? 

The  prophecies  concerning  this  city,  the  "  ISTo  "  of  Scripture, 
seem  to  imply  some  such  visitation.     "  Thus  saith  the  Lord 


76  BIBLE   LANDS. 

God,  I  will  also  destroy  the  idols,  .  .  .  and  wiU  execute  judg- 
ments in  No.  ...  No  shall  be  rent  asunder."  * 

Towering  above  the  green  plain,  about  ten  minutes'  walk 
directly  east  of  the  Kamesium,  sitting  pensively  on  their  crum- 
bling thrones  as  if  grieving  over  their  departed  glory,  are  the 
renowned  Colossi  of  Amunoph  III.,  the  only  two  that  survive  a 
long  avenue  of  similar  statues  that  once  guarded  the  approach 
to  the  grand  temple  in  their  rear.  They  originally  were 
monohths,  but  are  now  much  broken  and  weather-beaten,  look- 
ing like  old  men  who  have  outlived  their  generation  and  are 
quietly  awaiting  their  departure. 

That  a  correct  idea  may  be  had  of  the  immense  size  of  these 
statues,  we  give  the  dimension  of  certain  parts :  across  the 
shoulders,  eighteen  feet  three  inches ;  the  leg,  from  the  knee 
to  the  sole  of  the  foot,  nineteen  feet  eight  inches ;  the  foot 
itself,  ten  feet  six  inches  long ;  and  the  arm,  from  the  top  of 
the  shoulder  to  the  tip  of  the  lingers,  thirty-four  feet  three 
inches.  The  whole  height,  including  the  pedestal,  is  about 
seventy  feet.  Amunoph  is  represented  in  a  sitting  posture, 
his  wife  and  mother  standing  on  either  side  of  the  throne. 
The  latter  statues,  though  eighteen  feet  high,  look  very  small 
by  the  side  of  the  central  figure — not  reaching  to  the  knees. 

The  statues  stand  about  fifty  feet  apart,  facing  the  east,  and 
the  one  on  the  north  is  the  famous  Yocal  Statue  of  Memnon, 
which  was  said  to  greet  his  mother  Aurora  every  morning  at 
sunrise  with  a  song  of  praise.  It  is  now  much  defaced  and  in 
no  musical  mood ;  at  least,  we  waited  long  in  vain  for  some 
soul-stirring  strain,  forgetting  that  it  only  gratified  the  curiosity 
of  distinguished  visitors,  and  such  only  at  sunrise — an  hour  we 
are  not  often  guilty  of  disturbing. 

>  Ezekiel  xxx,  13-16. 


THE    VOCAL    STATUE    OF   ME:M]SrON. 


77 


If  the  statue  ever  emitted  any  musical  sounds,  they  were 
probably  produced  by  fine  wires,  invisible  from  the  ground, 
stretched  across  the  lap  from  hand  to  hand.  This  simple 
arrangement  would  produce  the  effect,  and  we  know  the 
Egyptians  of  that  period  had  in  use  stringed  instruments  con- 
structed on  this  principle,  and  must  have  been  famihar  with 
the  yEolian  harp. 


TOMBS    OF    THE    KINGS. 


All  the  temples  west  of  the  river  were  located  on  the  edge 
of  the  desert,  above  the  inundations,  and  at  the  base  of  the 
Libyan  range.  Here,  as  at  Memphis,  the  whole  desert  for 
miles  around  is  one  vast  necropolis,  where  embalmed  millions 
wait   in  silence  the  voice  divine  that  shall  call  them  to  life 


High  up  on  the  mountain  side,  back  of  these  mummy  pits, 


78  BIBLE    LANDS. 

at  the  liead  of  a  wild,  deep,  tortuous  valley,  far  removed  from 
the  fertile  plain  and  all  signs  of  life,  under  the  shadow  of 
over-hanging  rocks  and  the  everlasting  hills,  are  the  tombs  of 
the  kings  of  Egypt. 

They  are  all  hewn  out  of  the  natural  rock,  some  of  them 
penetrating  the  mountain  to  a  great  depth,  containing  numer- 
ous apartments,  beautifully  decorated  with  sculptures  and  paint- 
ings, delineating  the  life  of  the  occupant,  the  coloring  looking 
as  bright  as  the  day  it  was  put  on. 

There  is  no  great  difficulty  in  finding  the  outer  entrance 
to  these  tombs,  but  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  discover  the 
vault  that  contains  the  mummy.  These  old  Pharaohs  seem 
to  have  had  a  dread  of  being  disturbed  in  their  sleep  of  death. 
All  their  ingenuity  has  been  exhausted  in  efforts  to  conceal 
their  place  of  sepulture.  No  lock  could  be  more  complicated 
than  the  entrance  to  some  of  these  vaults.  But  we  must  forego 
any  further  description  of  these  tombs  of  royalty.  What 
pomp  and  wealth,  what  power  and  glory,  lie  buried  here ! 
Truly,  "  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away." 

Thebes  was  first  taken  by  the  Babylonians,  afterward  by  the 
Persians  under  Cambyses,  B.C.  525,  who  destroyed  or  muti- 
lated many  of  her  monuments.  Still  later  it  was  conquered  by 
Alexander  the  Great,  and  finally,  after  a  tliree  years'  siege, 
almost  totally  destroyed  by  Ptolemy  Lathyrus,  B.C.  81. 

It  was  this  last  invasion,  followed  by  the  removal  of  the 
seat  of  government,  first  to  Bubastis  and  then  to  Alexandria, 
that  dealt  the  death-blow  to  the  capital  of  Upper  Egypt,  and 
left  these  grand  temples  of  her  gods  to  be  polluted  by  the 
numerous  bats,  jackals,  and  hyenas,  that  now  nightly  hold 
vigils  in  their  courts. 


m 


mw"% 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ISLAND  OF  PHIL^ LAST  SEAT  OF  IDOLATRY  IN  EGYPT. 

Aflsouan— Granite  Quarries  of  Syene— Mode  of  moving  large  Stones— Cataracts  of 
the  Nile— Ancient  Ethiopia— Island  of  Philae— Last  Seat  of  Idolatry— Curi- 
ous Sculptures — Aboo  Simbel— Fulfillment  of  Prophecy. 

ASSOUA]^,  the  frontier  citj  of  Egj-pt,  situated  at  the  foot 
of  the  First  Cataract,  eight  hundred  miles  above  Alex- 
andria, will  conclude  our  sketches  on  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs. 
This  is  quite  a  trading-post  with  the  interior,  and  large  quanti- 
ties of  dates,  ivory,  ostrich  feathers,  gum  arabic,  ebony  clubs — 
and  we  suspect  slaves — are  brought  across  the  desert,  or  down 
the  Nile,  and  reshipped  here  for  Cairo  and  other  points  below. 
The  Khedive  is  building  a  railroad  from  here  to  Khartoom,  in 
the  Soodan,  at  the  junction  of  the  Blue  and  White  Nile,  which 
will  greatly  increase  the  trade  of  Assouan.  To  see  the  cars 
and  hear  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  locomotive  o5  in  this  remote 
corner  of  the  earth  impresses  one  with  the  march  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  makes  him  feel  really  homesick.  The  railroad  from 
Cairo  up  the  river  is  now  within  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
of  here  ;  so  in  a  few  years  we  can  penetrate  Africa  by  steam. 

Directly  opposite  here  is  the  beautiful  island  of  Elephantine* 
covered  with  crumbling  ruins,  among  them  the  Nilomctcr 
mentioned  by  Strabo — the  oldest  of  which  any  traces  remain. 
Back  of  Assouan  ^.bout  one  mile,  you  come  to  the  granite 
quarries  of  Syene,  that  furnished  the  material  for  all  the  enor- 
mous statues  and  obelisks  we  find  in  Egypt.  One  huge  block 
ninety-five  feet  long  by  eleven  square,  partly  dressed,  from 
6  '  81 


82  Hir.LE    LANDS. 

some  cause  still  lies  in  the  quarry,  never  having  been  removed, 
and  is  not  likely  soon  to  be  disturbed. 

A  ^vide,  solid  road-bed  was  constructed  from  the  quarries  to 
the  river,  about  one  mile,  over  which  these  ponderous  blocks 
of  o-ranite  were  moved  on  sledges  or  skids  with  rollers  placed 
beneath  them,  by  direct  physical  force,  thousands  of  slaves  being 
employed  in  moving  a  single  stone.  Portions  of  this  roadway 
may  still  be  seen,  and  the  whole  process  truthfully  represented 
in  their  sculptures,  even  to  the  overseers  directing  the  work. 

The  brilliancy  of  the  stars  in  the  clear  atmosphere  and  cloud- 
less sky  of  this  region  is  truly  wonderful.  Venus,  as  the  morn- 
ing star,  appears  like  a  miniature  sun,  emitting  almost  light 
enough  to  read  by ;  and  the  Southern  Cross — at  least  to  one  who 
never  saw  it  before — is  simply  magnificent.  The  Cataracts  of 
the  Nile  are  nothing  more  than  a  succession  of  rapids,  where 
the  river  forces  its  way  through  innumerable  rocks  and  small 
islands  that  obstruct  its  passage.  The  greatest  descent  in  any 
one  of  the  rapids  at  the  First  Cataract  is  from  six  to  eight  feet 
in  perhaps  two  hundred  yards.  There  must  have  been  at  one 
time,  either  here  or  at  Silsilis,  forty  miles  below,  a  much  greater 
fall,  as  the  water-line  and  alluvial  deposits  along  the  shore,  thirty 
to  forty  feet  above  the  highest  inundations  of  late  years,  clearly 
prove.  The  probability  is,  the  rocky  ledge  crossing  the  river 
at  this  point  or  below  has  been  swept  away,  and  the  whole  up- 
per valley  of  the  Kile  lowered  to  its  present  level 

This  is  now,  and  always  has  been,  the  southern  boundary  of 
Eg}'pt  proper.  True,  some  of  the  Pharaohs  extended  their 
dominions  far  south  of  this,  but  were  never  able  to  hold  the 
country,  and  in  turn  some  of  the  Etliiopian  kings  invaded  and 
conquered   Upper  Egypt;   but  the  "tower  of  Syene,"  *  that 

'Ezekiel  xxix,  10. 


ANCIEXT    ETHIOPIA.  83 

forms  a  part  of  the  granite  barrier  through  which  the  Nile 
here  forces  its  way,  is  now,  as  in  the  days  of  Ezekiel,  the  nat- 
ural border  of  Egj^t. 

All  the  territory  south  of  this  for  a  thousand  miles  is  known 
as  Nubia,  the  Ethiopia  of  the  Scriptures,  or  the  "  country  of 
the  Cushites ; "  the  inhabitants,  as  the  name  signifies,  being 
black  or  of  a  dark  complexion.  Egypt  is  repeatedly  called  in 
Scripture  "  the  land  of  Ham,"  but  the  other  sons  of  Noah  are 
not  mentioned  in  connection  with  any  particular  portion  of  the 
earth. 

Four  of  the  sons  of  Ham  are  also  named  as  the  progenitors 
of  four  great  nations :  Mizraim,  and  probably  his  father,  settled 
m  Egypt ;  Cush,  to  the  south,  in  Ethiopia — the  Greek  name 
for  Cush  ;  Phut,  in  Libya,  to  the  west  of  Egypt,  from  whom 
the  Libyans  and  Moors  descended;  and  Canaan,  on  the  east 
and  north,  in  Syria  and  Palestine.  And,  what  is  singular  in  this 
connection,  we  find  all  these  names,  or  names  very  similar,  in 
the  hieroglyphics  on  many  of  the  monuments  of  Egypt.  And 
may  not  the  groups  of  four  different  complexioned  people,  red, 
brown,  black,  and  wliite,  representing  the  four  great  di\asions  of 
the  human  race,  found  in  several  of  the  "  tombs  of  the  kings  "  at 
Thebes,  refer  to  these  four  sons  of  Ham  and  their  descendants  ? 

The  scenery  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Lower  Cataract  is 
very  fine.  The  towering  cliffs  on  either  hand  appear  like  em- 
battled fortresses  commanding  the  river  at  every  point,  and  the 
great  blocks  of  red  and  black  granite  that  line  the  shores,  and 
rise  out  of  the  water  in  every  fantastic  shape,  look  like  so  many 
giants  stationed  here  to  guard  this  gate-way  to  the  interior  of 
Africa.  Many  of  these  rocks  are  covered  with  hieroglyphics 
and  tablets  of  great  historical  value.  The  old  Egyptians  ap- 
pear to  have  left  their  mark  every-where  they  went,  and  made 


84 


BIBLE    LAXDS. 


a  written  record  of  almost  every  event  that  transj^ired.  Tlieir 
temples  and  tombs  are  covered  with  inscrijjtions.  Every  brick 
bears  the  name  of  the  Pharaoh  under  whose  reign  it  was  made ; 
and  upon  every  charm,  bracelet,  and  ring,  you  will  lind  some  de- 
vice. In  tlieir  campaigns  the  name  of  every  soldier  is  written 
down,  the  cost  of  the  war,  the  amount  of  booty  in  gold,  horses 


EXTERIOR    OF    THE    TEMPLE    OF    ISIS. 


and  chariots  captured,  with  the  number  of  the  enemy  slain, 
and  prisoners  taken.  In  their  sculpture  scribes  may  be  seen  in 
the  market-place  noting  down  the  articles  sold,  and  on  the  farm 
taking  an  account  of  all  the  products,  down  to  the  number  of 
eggs  laid  by  each  hen.  So,  here  upon  these  tablets,  we  not 
only  have  an  account  of  the  militaiy  expeditions  to  the  Soodan, 
three  thousand  five  hundred  years  ago,  but  of  the  Pharaohs 


ISLAND    OF    PIIIL^.  85 

who  worked  these  quarries,  and  where  ahnost  everj  stone  was 
taken  to,  and  for  what  purpose  applied. 

At  tlic  head  of  the  rapids,  six  miles  above  Assouan,  is  the 
f-nall  picturesque  island  of  Philae,  with  extensive  ruins  of  a 
rem  pie  dedicated  to  Isis,  but  of  comparatively  modern  date. 
And  it  is  an  important  fact  that  in  point  of  age  the  higher  you 
ascend  the  Nile  the  more  modern  the  remains,  showing  clearly 
that  Egyptian  civilization  began  in  the  Delta,  and  gradually  ex- 
tended upward,  or  to  the  south.  Some  of  the  ruins  here,  and 
those  at  Meroe,  the  highest  up  the  river,  belong  to  the  Chris- 
tian era. 

This  island  was  considered  very  sacred  by  the  early  Egyptians 
as  one  of  the  traditional  burial-places  of  Osiris,  their  principal 
deity.  It  was  believed  that  no  bird  would  fly  over  it,  nor  fish 
swim  near  it ;  and  no  one  was  allowed  to  approach  it  except 
when  the  priest  came  to  crown  the  reputed  tomb  of  Osiris, 
whose  very  name  was  held  so  sacredly  that  only  the  priests 
were  permitted  to  utter  it. 

Though  there  is  nothmg  grand  about  the  ruins  at  Philse,  the 
effect  of  "  Pharaoh's  Bed,"  and  the  long  colonnade  and  lofty 
propylon  as  you  approach  the  place  by  water,  is  very  fine.  The 
temple  itseK  is  neither  large  nor  symmetrical ;  but  some  of  the 
tablets  and  subjects  delineated  in  the  sculptures  are  both  inter- 
esting and  curious.  On  one  of  the  outer  chapels  is  either  the 
original  or  a  copy  of  the  inscription  found  on  the  famous 
Rosetta  stone.  Here,  however,  the  Greek  text  is  wanting, 
which  would  indicate  that  it  is  earlier  than  the  one  found  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Nile  by  the  French.  In  one  of  the  courts  we 
have  Julius  Csesar  worshiping  Isis,  and  in  another  his  corona- 
tion by  that  goddess,  beautifully  executed  and  richly  colored, 
showing  that  the  conquerors  and  foreign  rulers  of  Egypt  did 


86 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


not  attempt  to  abolisli  lier  religious  institutions.  Hence,  we 
find  the  language  and  worship  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  retained 
by  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  the  names  of  Alexander  and 
the  Ptolemies  and  Ciesars  inscribed  in  hieroglyphics  on  the 
temples  here  and  elsewhere. 

Among  other  curious  sculptures  in  one  of  the  chapels  con- 
nected with  this  temple,  we  have  a  scene  of  the  last  judgment. 
Osiris,  the  judge  of  the  dead,  is  represented  seated  on  his- 
throne  ;  Thoth,  the  recording  angel,  stands  near  him  with  a 
tablet  in  his  hands,  on  which  all  the  deeds  of  the  deceased  are 
recorded  ;  Horns  weighs  every  action  in  the  scales  of  justice  and 


THE    LAST    JUDGMENT. 


truth  ;  and  as  the  souls  are  ushered  into  Amenti — the  region  of 
departed  spirits — the  judge  passes  sentence  upon  them,  and 
they  are  either  admitted  into  the  palace  of  Osiris,  their  state 
of  blessedness,  or  changed  into  some  bird  or  beast,  generally 
into  pigs,  and  sent  back  into  this  world  to  *'  root,  hog,  or  die." 
This  seems  to  have  been  their  idea  of  our  probationary  state, 
the  very  doctrine  of  a  second  probation  now  being  revived  and 
taught  by  some  new-light  divines,  which  is  nothing  more  than 
a  rehash  of  the  munnnied  theology  of  the  old  Egyptians,  served 
up  by  sensational  preachers  as  a  dainty  dish  for  enlightened 
American  audiences. 


CUKIOUS    SCULFIUKE.  Qi 

It  would  appear  from  this,  that  the  old  Egyptians  had  some 
vague  idea  of  a  future  state ;  but  it  was  not  the  "  life  and  im- 
mortality brought  to  light  through  the  Gospel."  They  be- 
lieved in  the  doctrine  of  transmigration — that  when  the  soul 
left  the  body  it  entered  some  bird  or  animal,  and,  after  passing 
through  different  stages  of  reward  or  punishment,  finally  re- 
sumed the  human  form. 

But  the  most  curious  sculpture  about  this  whole  temple  is 
in  a  little  chapel  on  the  terrace  at  the  head  of  the  staircase, 
where  Osiris  is  represented  in  his  mysterious  character  as  the 
manifestation  of  divinity  in  the  flesh  appearing  on  earth  for 
the  benefit  of  mankind,  but  is  opposed  in  his  mission  and 
finally  put  to  death  by  Typhon,  the  evil  genius  of  Egypt. 
Osiris  is  afterward  restored  to  life,  destroys  Typhon,  and  be- 
comes judge  of  the  dead  and  king  of  Hades.  The  dead  must 
all  appear  before  his  judgment-seat,  where  they  are  either 
absolved  from  sin  and  enter  a  state  of  felicity,  or  are  driven 
from  his  presence  as  bi-utes. 

There  is  a  singular  analogy  here  to  the  office  and  mission  of 
Christ,  and  many  have  been  puzzled  to  know  how  the  Egyp- 
tians obtained  these  ideas  of  the  Saviour's  incarnation  and 
office.  To  me  the  case  is  very  plain.  Christianity  was  early 
introduced  into  Egypt.  It  extended  rapidly  up  the  Nile,  and 
in  the  fourth  century  became  the  established  religion  of  Egypt. 
Philae  was  the  last  seat  of  idolatry  in  the  Roman  Empire,  and 
from  an  ex-voto  in  this  very  chapel  we  learn  that  Isis  and 
Osiris  were  worshiped  here  as  late  as  A.  D.  453,  over  a  cent- 
ury after  idolatry  had  been  abolished  in  Egypt  by  an  imperial 
decree.  And  is  it  not  more  than  probable  that  the  Egj^tian 
idolaters,  in  their  intercourse  with  Christians  during  this 
period,  obtained  some  correct  ideas  of  the  twofold  character 


88  BIBLE   LANDS. 

of  Christ  ?  And  how  very  natural  for  them,  as  they  saw  their 
own  religion  d}ang  out,  to  appropriate  to  their  favorite  deity 
some  of  the  attributes  of  the  Christian's  Messiah. 

If  this  was  one  of  their  oldest  temples,  and  these  sculpt- 
ures belonged  to  a  period  before  the  Exodus,  then  we  could 
only  account  for  these  illustrations  by  some  special  revelation 
foreshadowing  the  coming  of  Christ.  But  being  compara- 
tively a  modern  temple,  and  these  sculptures  belonging  proba- 
bly to  the  third  or  fourth  centuries  of  our  era,  we  find  no 
difficulty  in  accounting  for  their  appearance  here. 

There  is  nothing  of  special  interest  above  Philse  until  you 
reach  the  great  rock-hewn  temple  of  Aboo-Simbel,  at  the  en- 
trance of  which  sit  the  finely  proportioned  colossal  figures  of 
Rameses  II.,  among  the  largest  and  decidedly  the  most  beauti- 
ful of  all  the  colossi  in  Egypt.  As  in  all  the  other  temples, 
we  find  here  some  valuable  historical  tablets  and  highly  fin- 
ished sculptures,  but  being  excavated  in  the  mountain  side,  and 
the  entrance  half  choked  up  with  sand,  nothing  can  be  seen 
without  the  aid  of  candles  or  torches,  the  smoke  from  which 
gives  the  })lace  rather  a  gloomy  appearance. 

The  present  condition  of  Eg}^3t  strikingly  fulfills  the  prophe- 
cies concerning  her,  and,  what  is  remarkable,  the  ruin  of  this 
nation  was  brought  about,  as  foretold,  by  internal  dissensions : 
"  1  will  set  the  Egyptians  against  the  Egyptians :  and  they 
shall  fight  every  one  against  liis  brother,  .  .  .  city  against  city, 
and  kingdom  against  kingdom ;  .  .  .  and  I  will  .  .  .  give  [themj 
over  into  the  hands  of  a  cruel  lord  :  and  a  fiferce  king  shall  rule 
over  them,  saith  the  Lord."  "  It  shall  be  the  basest  of  the  king- 
doms ;  neither  shall  it  exalt  itself  any  more  above  the  nations : 
,  .  .  and  there  shall  be  no  more  a  prince  of  the  land  of  Egypt'' ' 

•  Isaiah  xix,  2;  Ezekiel  xxix,  15;  xxx,  13. 


FULFILLMENT    OF    PROPHECY. 


89 


And  more  remarkable  still,  is  the  I'ullillmciit  of  the  prophecy 
touchiug  the  reeds  that  once  abounded  along  her  water-courses 
the  papyrus  being  now  unknown  in  Egypt :  ''  The  reeds  and 
flags  shall  wither  ...  the  paper-reeds  by  the  brooks  .  .  .  shall 
wither  .  .  .  and  be  no  more."  ' 

Thus,  in  the  literal  fulfillment  of  these  predictions,  as  well 
as  m  the  harmony  of  biblical  and  Egyptian  chronology,  and  in 
the  perfect  agreement  between  the  narratives  of  Scripture  and 
the  arts  and  productions,  manners  and  social  life,  of  this  ancient 
people,  we  have  beautifully  set  forth  the  truth  of  the  inspired 
record,  so  that  they  who  half  a  century  ago  sneered  at  the 
Bibla  as  a  budget  of  fables,  errors,  and  contradictions,  now 
regard  it  as  the  infallible  word  and  wisdom  of  God. 

'  Isaiah  xix,  6,  7. 


.AMP    AND    STAND. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ISRAEL'S  DEPAETURE  FROM  EGYPT PASSAGE  OF  THE  RED 

SEA. 

Deliverance  of  the  Hebrews  from  Bondage — Traditional  Crossing-place — Location 
of  Rameses— Their  probable  Route — Topography  of  the  Country— Significance 
of  Names — Safe  Passage  of  the  Sea — Destruction  of  Pharaoh's  Army — Wella 
of  Moses — Journey  through  the  Wilderness— Petra. 

THE  Exodus,  wliicli  terminated  the  patriarchal  dispensation, 
and  from  which  we  are  to  date  Israel's  national  career, 
occurred,  according  to  our  received  chronology,  B.C.  1491, 
And  the  traditional  site  of  their  passage  of  the  Red  Sea  is  a 
few  miles  south  of  where  the  new  ship  canal  enters  the  Gulf 
of  Suez. 

The  deliverance  of  the  Ilebrews  from  their  long  and  severe 
bondage,  and  the  punishment  of  the  Egj-ptians  by  the  mi- 
raculous interference  of  Providence,  constitute  an  important 
epoch  in  the  history  of  God's  people,  and  add  a  peculiar  inter- 
est to  the  scene  of  their  wonderful  deliverance.  Some,  who 
would  explain  away  the  miracle  entirely,  contend  that  they 
crossed  the  head  of  the  sea,  near  Suez ;  but,  having  carefully 
examined  the  whole  ground,  we  are  persuaded  that  the  passage 
was  effected  ten  miles  south  of  there — from  Ras  Atdkah  to  the 
Wells  of  Moses.  The  sea  at  this  point  is  about  eight  miles 
wide,  and  from  ten  to  forty  feet  deep.  The  crossing  at  Suez 
is  a  shallow  ford  on  the  great  caravan  route  to  Arabia  and 
Syria,  less  than  a  mile  wide,  where  there  is  really  no  sea  to 
divide,  and   where   it  would  be  utterly  impossible  to  engulf 


THEIR    PLACE    OF    RENDEZVOUS. 


91 


an  army  like  Pharaoh's.  Or,  had  Moses  made  a  short  detour 
to  the  left,  he  conld  have  avoided  the  sea  entirely,  and  there 
would  have  been  no  necessity  for  any  miracle,  nor  any  occasion 
for  the  consternation  that  j^revailed  in  the  camp  of  Israel. 

Others  think  tlie   sea  at  one  time   extended  much  farther 
nortli  than  at  present,  but  existing  traces  of  the  ancient  canal 


RED    SEA. PROBABLE    CROSSING-PLACE    BY    THE    ISRAELITES. 

probably  constructed  before  the  exodus,  and  enlarged  by 
Xecho  II.  B.  C.  650,  disprove  this  theory.  Besides,  Marah 
could  not  have  been  reached  on  the  third  day  by  the  northern 
route;  and  they  would  have  found  an  abundant  supply  of 
water  at  the  Wells  of  Moses  the  first  day  after  their  passage  ; 
yet  it  appears  they  were  three  days  in  coming  to  water  after 
crossing  the  sea.     The   only  difficulty  in    settling  this  ques- 


92  BIBLE   LANDS. 

tion  lies  in  locating  Rameses,  their  starting-point.  Robinson, 
Lepsius,  and  others  fix  it  on  the  railroad  near  the  desert, 
about  seventy-five  miles  north-east  of  Cairo  ;  but  more  recent 
discoveries  at  Tel-el  Yahoodeh — "  the  Mounds  of  the  Jews  " — 
twenty  miles  north  of  Cairo,  and  in  sight  of  Ileliopolis,  are  very 
strong  arguments  in  support  of  Rameses  being  there.  This 
was  in  "  the  land  of  Goshen,"  and  "  the  very  best  of  the  land  " 
belonging  to  Pharaoh,  of  which  Rameses  appears  to  have  been 
the  capital  or  treasure  city,  and  where  Ouias  in  after  years 
built  his  temple. 

Among  the  discoveries  here  made  were  the  remains  of  a 
magnificent  palace,  paved  with  alabaster,  the  walls  of  encaustic 
bricks  beautifully  wrought,  many  of  them  bearing  hierogl}T)hic 
inscriptions,  and  the  oval  of  Rameses  II.  inlaid  with  glass. 
Rameses,  in  a  sitting  posture,  was  also  found  upon  the  sculpt- 
ures. These,  and  other  ruins  of  dwellings  and  villages  in  the 
neighborhood,  clearly  of  Jewish  origin,  would  indicate  that 
this  at  least  was  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Hebrews,  and  more 
likely  Rameses  than  any  other  place  named. 

It  is  very  clear  from  the  narrative  that  the  land  of  Goshen 
lay  east  of  the  Nile,  and  from  the  frequent  communications  be- 
tween Moses  and  the  court  of  Pharaoh,  the  rendezvous  of  the 
IsraeUtes  must  have  been  near  to  Memphis,  the  capital.  From 
Josephus  we  learn '  that  they  took  their  journey  by  Latopolis, 
where  Babylon  in  Egypt — now  Cairo — was  afterward  built  by 
the  Persians.  If,  then,  the  ruins  we  have  been  describing  are 
those  of  Rameses,  the  probability  is  the  Hebrews  first  came  to 
Latopolis,  where  they  obtained  from  the  Egyptians  the  costly 
gifts  in  gold,  silver,  and  raiment,  as  a  reward  for  their  long 
service,  and  then  journeyed  eastward  by  the  direct  caravan 

'  Antiquities,  ii,  15. 


PKOBABLE    CROSSING-PLACE.  93 

road  to  Succoth,  and  next  to  "  Etham,  on  the  edge  of  the  wil- 
derness." '  From  this  it  appears  thej  did  not  strike  the  desert 
until  the  close  of  the  second  day.  From  Robinson's  location 
of  Rameses  they  would  have  reached  it  within  a  few  hours. 
Here,  on  the  third  day  of  their  exodus,  they  were  commanded 
to  "  turn  and  encamp  before  Pi-hahiroth  ;"  "  or,  more  properly, 
return  and  encamp  again  in  the  mouth  of  the  valley,  namely, 
Wady  Tawarik,  "  between  Migdol  and  the  sea,"  which  would 
be  their  third  camping-place,  their  next  being  "  over  against 
Baal-Zephon,  ...  by  the  sea."  Baal-Zephon  signifies  mount- 
ain, or  watch-tower,  of  the  north,  and  must  refer  to  Jebel 
Atakah,  the  most  northerly  mountain  in  Africa,  which,  in  the 
morning  sunlight,  beams  like  fire.  From  this  it  would  seem 
that  at  first  they  were  going  by  the  usual  route  from  Memphis 
to  Gaza  and  Damascus,  round  the  head  of  the  sea,  when  the 
Almighty,  for  the  purpose,  no  doubt,  of  displaying  his  power 
in  their  salvation,  directed  them  to  the  place  where  they  finally 
crossed. 

The  distance  through  Wady  Tawarik  from  old  Cairo  is  a 
little  over  fifty  miles,  and  can  easily  be  traveled  in  three  days, 
though  from  the  pillar  of  fire  going  before  them  "  by  night "  it 
would  appear  they  traveled  day  and  night.  There  is  a  station 
and  fountain  about  one  third  the  way  still  called  by  the  natives 
the  Station  of  Moses,  that  would  answer  very  well  for  Succoth, 
where  they  pitched  their  tents  at  the  close  of  the  first  day's 
march.  Their  next  encampment  was  at  Etham,  about  eighteen 
miles  from  Succoth,  wliich  we  must  be  careful  not  to  confound 
with  Etham  east  of  the  sea.*  Here  God,  in  the  cloudy  pillar, 
directed  them  to  retrace  their  line  of  march,  and  changed  their 
course   abruptly  to   the  right   into  Wady  Tawarik,  between 

'  Exodus  xiii,  20.  '  Exodus  xiv,  2.  '  Numbers  xxxiii.  8. 


94  I3IBLE    LANDS. 

Migdol,  perhaps  Atakah,  and  the  sea,  with  the  wilderness  of 
Tih  in  their  rear  shutting  them  in,  and  cutting  off  their  retreat. 

This  also  accords  with  Josephus,  who  says,  "  That  Pharaoli 
followed  the  Israelites  with  six  hundred  chariots,  fifty  thousand 
horsemen,  and  two  hundred  thousand  footmen,  all  armed ;  that 
the  Egyptians  drove  them  into  a  narrow  place,  shutting  them 
up  between  inaccessible  precipices  ;  and  that  there  was  on  either 
side  of  them  a  ridge  of  impassable  mountains  tenninating  at 
the  sea.'"  All  which  agrees  with  this  locality  and  the  in- 
spired account,  but  is  not  true  of  any  other  point. 

In  fact,  this  is  the  only  route  that  satisfies  all  the  conditions 
of  the  narrative,  which  is  further  established  by  the  topography 
of  the  land,  and  the  names  of  places  along  this  line.  Wady  el 
Tih,  through  which  they  would  naturally  pass,  is  stiU  known  as 
"The  Yalley  of  Wandering;"  Jebel  Gharbun,  near  Etham, 
where  they  turned  back,  signifies  the  Mountain  of  Doubt ;  Je- 
bel Atdkah,  that  cut  off  their  escape,  and  where  Jehovah  inter- 
posed in  their  behalf,  the  Mountain  of  Deliverance ;  and  even 
the  Gulf  at  this  point  appears  to  have  derived  its  name  from 
the  overthrow  of  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  as  Suez  literally  means 
Destraction. 

In  determining  this  question  it  should  be  remembered  that 
the  event  is  every-wherc  referred  to  in  the  Scriptures  as  a  mi- 
raculous deliverance ;  that  the  narrative  expressly  states  that 
the  path  of  the  Israelites  was  "  through  the  midst — or,  more 
literally,  the  heart — of  the  sea ; "  that  "  the  floods  stood  upright 
as  an  heap,"  and  "the  waters  were  a  wall  on  their  right 
liand  and  on  their  left ; " '  and  that  "  the  Egyptians  pursued 
them  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,"  where  the  Lord  destroyed 
them  all.     "  There  remained  not  so  much  as  one  of  them  ;  the 

'  Antiquities,  ii,  15.  'Exodus  xiv,  22,  28. 


PROBABLE    CKOSSING-PLACE. 


95 


depths  covered  tliem,  tliej  saidv  to  tlie  bottom  as  a  stone,  tliey 
sank  as  lead  in  tlie  mighty  waters."  '  All  wliicli  implies  a 
wide,  deep  sea,  and  is  no  way  applicable  to  the  narrow,  shallow 
ford  at  Suez,  where  really  there  was  no  sea  to  divide,  no 
mountains  to  shut  the  Israelites  in,  no  occasion  for  any  divine 
interposition ;  and  where  it  would  be  impossible  to  overwhelm 
and  destroy  an  army  like  Pharaoh's  "  in  the  depths  of  the  sea." 
They  who  would  explain  away  the  miracle  contend  that  the 


A\  i.LLs    Ot     MOM,>> 


wind  blew  back  the  waters  from  the  head  of  the  gulf,  which 
seems  very  absurd  to  one  standing  upon  the  spot.  "A  strong 
east  wind'"  would  never  drive  the  water  out  of  the  bay  of 
Suez,  but  at  Has  Atakah  would  force  the  tide  back  into  the 
sea,  and  aid  in  opening  a  passage  from  east  to  west,  literally 
piling  up  the  waters  in  "  an  heap  "  around  Suez.  All  this  ren- 
ders the  traditional  site  the  probable  crossing-place ;  and  Ayun 

'Exodus  xiv,  10.  *  Exodus  xiv,  21. 


96  BIBLE    LANDS. 

Musa,  on  the  Asiatic  side,  more  than  likely  the  spot  where 
Miriam  struck  her  timbrels,  and  all  Israel  praised  the  Lord 
who  had  triumphed  so  gloriously  in  the  overthrow  of  Pharaoh 
and  his  chariots  in  the  sea.' 

Ayun  Musa,  or  the  Wells  of  Moses,  are  simply  several  fount- 
ains of  brackish  water  bubbling  up  through  the  hot  sands,  sur- 
rounded with  a  grove  of  palm,  tamarisk,  and  other  trees,  form- 
ing a  cool  oasis  in  the  desert  about  twelve  miles  south  of  Suez, 
and  probably  marking  the  first  encampment  of  the  Israelites  in 
the  ••  Wilderness  of  Shur,"  east  of  the  Eed  Sea. 

AU  travel  through  the  desert  is  on  the  camel.  This  animal 
has  great  power  of  endurance,  and  will  go  from  six  to  seven 
days,  if  necessary,  without  eating  or  drinking.  Wherever  you 
find  the  Arab  you  find  the  camel,  and  these  children  of  the 
desert  consider  it  a  very  beautiful  animal.  If  you  want  to- 
compliment  an  Arab  lady,  just  tell  her  she  is  as  beautiful  as  a 
camel,  and  you  will  see  her  dark  skin  tinge  at  once  with  a  bhish. 
The  camel  is  purely  a  domestic  beast,  not  being  found  in  a  wild 
state  anywhere  on  the  globe.  The  only  difference  between  the 
dromedary  and  camel  is  the  difference  between  a  riding-horse 
and  a  work-horse.  The  dromedary  is  the  graceful,  well-formed 
camel,  and  is  kept  only  for  the  saddle.  Naturally  there  are  na 
two-humped  camels  or  dromedaries.  The  elevation  on  their 
backs  is  a  fatty  substance  on  which  they  subsist  during  long 
journeys.  In  some  countries  this  hump  is  cut  into  when  they 
are  quite  young,  and  by  a  simple  process  separated,  so  that  it 
grows  into  two  elevations,  being  more  convenient  for  the  sad- 
dle. The  camel  is  the  "ship  of  the  desert,"  and  is  used  almost 
exclusively  for  transportation  purposes. 

The  caravans  usually  start  from  the  Wells  of  Moses  for  the 

'  Exodus  XV,  1-21. 


ri' '      I '/ 


It  iiiiMiL  '1  mil 


CONVEJiT    OF    8T.    CATHAlilNE. 


99 


peninsula  of  Sinai,  and  in  from  six  to  eight  days,  by  way  of 
"VYady  Feiran,  yon  are  at  the  old  Convent  of  St.  Catharine, 
over  five  thonsand  feet  above  the  sea,  and  at  the  base  of  Eas 
Sufsafeh,  a  spur  of  Jebel  Musa,  the  traditional  Mount  Sinai, 
Avhich  meets  all  the  conditions  of  the  text  better  than  any  other 


iVENT    OF    ST.   CATHAKINE. 


peak  of  the  Horeb  range.  The  legal  mountain  towers  two 
thousand  feet  above  the  convent,  and  seven  thousand  four 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea  at  Tor. 

The  plain  of  Er  Kahah,  where  the  Israelites  encamped  for 
about  eleven  months,  lies  to  the  north  of  Jebel  Musa,  and  is 
sufficiently  large  to  have  accommodated  the  hosts  of  Israel, 


100 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


and  to  afford  tlieni  a  grand  view  of  that  sublime  disj^laj  of 
Jehovah's  majesty  and  power  when  "  He  came  down  in  siglit 
of  all  the  people," '  and  from  the  flaming  crest  of  this  mount- 
ain— that  still  bears  the  marks  of  having  been  scathed  with 
lightning — delivered  his  own  law,  containing  the  moral  code  of 
the  universe,  to  his  own  chosen  Israel. 


-"^^ 


^*#' 


INSCRIBED    ROCKS VTADY    MUKATTEB. 


The  journey  from  here  to  Palestine,  by  the  way  of  Akabah 
and  Petra,  generally  takes  from  two  to  three  weeks,  frequently 
crossing  and  sometimes  following  the  supposed  track  of  the 
Israelites  through  the  Desert,  where  their  route  may  be  traced 
in  places  by  the  ash-beds  of  their  camp-fires,  and  the  inscribed 
rocks  that  mark  their  line  of  march.  And  we  here  learn  the 
full  force  of  that  expression,   "  They  went  out  into  the  waste 

'  Exodus  xix,  11. 


PETRA.  101 

howling  wilderness." '  Many  rocks  crop  out  of  the  Desert, 
round  which  the  sand  gathers  in  hillocks,  and  tlie  wind  blow- 
ing among  these  sand-hills  often  produces  the  most  mournful 
sounds,  sometimes  resembling  the  wailing  of  mourners  for  the 
dead,  and  at  other  times  the  howling  of  a  pack  of  wolves  thirst- 
ing for  your  blood. 

Akabah,  three  days'  journey  from  Sinai,  is  a  wretched  Arab 
village  at  the  head  of  the  eastern  arm  of  the  Eed  Sea,  possess- 
ing no  interest  whatever,  further  than  marking  the  route  of  the 
Israelites  in  their  wanderings,  and  the  site  of  ancient  Ezion- 
Geber,  the  extreme  southern  limit  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel 
under  Solomon,  and  where  that  king  built  his  fleets,  and  landed 
his  gold  from  Ophir,  three  thousand  years  ago.* 

An  interesting  discovery  has  lately  been  made  by  Captain 
Burton,  who  was  sent  out  two  years  ago  by  the  ex-Khedive, 
to  explore  the  country  east  of  the  Gulf  of  Akabah.  Landing 
in  Arabia,  Burton  forced  his  way  a  few  miles  into  the  interior, 
and  recovered  what  he  considers  the  old  cities  of  the  Midian- 
ites,  deserted  and  in  ruins.  He  also  found  ancient  gold  mines 
once  extensively  worked,  which  he  supposes  to  be  the  long  lost 
mines  of  Ophir,  and  during  the  last  year  has  taken  out  a 
colony  from  Egypt  to  re-occupy  these  cities  and  work  the  old 
gold  mines  of  Solomon. 

Three  days  hard  traveling  from  Akabah  through  Wady  Ara- 
bah,  twice  traversed  by  the  Israelites  during  the  exodus,  brings 
us  to  Petra,  the  long-lost  capital  of  Arabia  Petraea,  or  ancient 
Edom,  the  Idumea  of  the  Greeks — very  remarkable  ruins — 
nothino^  like  them  anywhere.  Petra  was  at  first  inhabited  by 
the  Horites,  or  "  Dwellers  in  Caves,"  and  it  would  appear  that  its 
inhabitants  have  always  lived  in  caves  ;  that  after  the  conquest  of 

>  Deuteronomy  xxxii,  10.  '  1  Kings  ix,  26-28. 


102 


BIBLE    LAND^: 


the  place  by  the  Greeks  and  Romans, the  natural  rock  dwellings 
of  the  aborigines  were  only  enlarged  and  beautitied,  so  that  Petra 
has  always  been  what  its  name  imports,  "  A  city  in  the  clefts  of 
the  rocks/'  almost  everv  honse  in  it  being  hewn  out  of  the 


solid  rock— a  variegated  sandstone  in  which  the  crimson,  orange, 
blue,  and  other  natural  tints  blend  so  richly  as  to  give  to  the 
palaces,  temples,  theaters,  and  tombs,  the  appearance  of  being 
beantifuPv  frescoed. 


EL    KTZNEH,  rKl-.:A. 


PETRA.  105 

This  city  is  mentioned  by  Pliny,  Strabo,  Joseph ns,  and  oth- 
ers ;  but  about  the  sixth  century  of  our  era  it  disappeared  from 
history,  and  for  twelve  hundred  years  its  very  site  was  unknown,  ■ 
and  only  within  the  present  century  recovered  by  Burckhardt. 
It  is  situated  in  a  wild,  rugged  region,  almost  inaccessible,  with 
many  deep  ravines,  the  rocks  appearing  to  have  been  rent 
asunder  by  earthquakes,  and  standing  two  or  three  hundred 
feet  high,  almost  perpendicular,  and  in  places  not  more  than  ten 
or  twenty  feet  apart,  so  that  the  city  was  surrounded  with  nat- 
ural walls,  strong  gates  closing  the  narrow  defiles  through 
which  access  only  could  be  had. 

In  entering  the  city  by  the  chasm  of  the  Sik,  which  is  over 
a  mile  long,  you  first  pass  many  beautiful  tombs  with  niches 
cut  in  the  face  of  the  cliff  for  statues  and  inscribed  tablets,  then 
under  a  picturesque  arch  spanning  the  ravine,  supported  by  two 
Corinthian  columns,  called  the  Gate- way ;  when  suddenly  El 
Kuzneh,  the  Treasury,  rises  like  a  vision  before  you.  The  en- 
tire edifice,  which  is  one  hundred  feet  front  by  one  hundred 
and  fifty  high,  (except  two  columns  of  the  portico,  one  of 
which  has  fallen,)  is  cut  out  of  the  rose-tinted  rock,  looking 
more  like  an  apparition  than  any  thing  real. 

This  is  the  gem  of  Petra's  monuments,  and  yet  nothing  is 
known  of  its  history  or  object.  It  is  called  the  Treasury,  from 
a  legend  that  it  was  built  by  a  certain  king  as  a  depository  for 
his  valuables,  and  the  Arabs  believe  that  the  inaccessible  urn 
high  up  on  its  pediment  still  contains  much  gold  and  many  rare 


There  are  other  edifices  in  Petra  much  larger  than  the  Treas- 
ury. The  amphitheater  has  an  arena  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  in  diameter,  with  thirty-three  tiers  of  seats  and  many  pri- 
vate boxes,  capable  of  seating  an  audience  of  three  thousand  or 


loo  BIBLE   LANDS. 

more,  all  cut  out  of  the  living  rock.  Another  monument, 
known  as  Ed  Deir,  the  Convent,  measuring  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  front  and  two  hundred  and  forty  high,  its  facade  or- 
namented with  two  rows  of  eight  Corinthian  columns  one  above 
the  other,  the  lower  tier  of  columns  fifty  feet  high  and  seven 
feet  in  diameter,  is  a  vast  monolith — the  entire  edifice  being 
hewn  out  of  one  massive  block  of  stone.  But  no  description 
of  ours  can  do  justice  to  these  unique  remains  of  a  past  civili- 
zation.    They  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated. 

In  the  present  desolate  condition  of  Petra  we  see  how  liter- 
ally the  judgments  of  God  denounced  against  it  have  been 
executed.  "  0  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks, 
that  boldest  the  height  of  the  hill ,  though  thou  shouldst  make 
thy  nest  as  high  as  the  eagle,  I  will  bring  thee  down  from 
thence,  saith  the  Lord.  Edom  shall  be  a  desolation;  every 
one  that  goeth  by  it  shall  be  astonished ;  ...  no  man  shall 
abide  there,  neither  shall  a  son  of  man  dwell  in  it."  *  Its 
ancient  inliabitants  have  all  been  cut  off,  and  so  far  as  known, 
not  an  Edomite  to-day  is  to  be  found  in  all  the  world. 

Near  this  Aaron  died,  and  in  a  rock-hewn  tomb  covered 
with  a  welly,  on  the  highest  summit  of  Mount  Hor,  the  brother 
of  the  great  lawgiver  sleeps  his  last  long  sleep.' 

The  usual  route  from  here  to  Palestine  is  across  the  desert 
to  Beer-sheba  by  way  of  Ain  el  Weibeh,  a  fountain  in  Wady 
Jeib,  the  supposed  site  of  Kadesh-barnea,  and  is,  probably, 
Meribah-Kadesh.  where  Miriam  died,  and  Moses  committed 
the  offense  for  wliich  he  was  excluded  from  the  land  he  trav- 
eled 80  far  to  possess. 

•  Jer.  xlix,  16-18.  »  Num.  xx,  28. 


PAKT  II. 
THE  LAND  OF  ISEAEL. 

"  In  that  same  day  the  Lord  made  a  covenant  with  Abram,  saying,  Unto  thy  seed 
have  I  given  this  land,  from  the  river  of  Egypt  unto  the  great  river,  the  river 
Euphrates."  Gen.  xv,  18. 


CHAPTER  L 

THE    PEOMISED    LAND. 

Qod'B  Covenant  with  the  Patriarch*? — Jacob's  Name  changed  to  Israel — Land  of 
Israel  under  Solomon — Primitive  Inhabitants  of  Canaan — Character  of  the 
Country— Present  Condition  of  Palestine,  Moral,  Social,  Political— Turkish 
Rule — Future  Prospects. 

OF  Enoch  it  is  said,  that  he  "  walked  with  God,"  and  of 
Abraham  that  he  was  the  "  friend  of  God,"  but  of  Jacob 
the  honorable  mention  is  made,  he  "  prevailed  with  God,"  and 
from  this  circumstance  his  name  was  changed  to  Israel,  a  name 
by  which  his  descendants  have  ever  since  been  known.  And 
the  covenant  God  first  made  with  Abram  before  he  left  "  Ur 
of  the  Chaldees,"  '  that  he  should  become  "  a  great  nation  "  in 
whom  "  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed,"  was 
afterward  renewed  with  Jacob  when  the  Almighty  appeared  to 
him,  first  at  Peniel,  then  at  Bethel,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Thy 
name  shall  not  be  called  any  more  Jacob,  but  Israel  shall  be  thy 
name,  and  the  land  which  I  gave  Abraham  and  Isaac,  to  thee 
will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee  will  I  give  the 
land."* 

The  twelve  sons  of  this  illustrious  man  were  the  twelve  pa- 
triarchs and  progenitors  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  God's 
chosen  people,  whose  history  by  many  centuries  is  the  oldest,  and, 
in  fact,  the  only  reliable  history  of  our  world  and  race.  Blot 
out  Jewish  history,  and  what  would  we  know  of  the  origin  of 
man  or  the  world,  of  God  or  the  future  ? 

'Genesis  xii,  1.  *  Genesis  ixxv,  10-12. 

109 


110  BIBLE   LANDS. 

Under  David  and  Solomon  "the  land  of  Israel"  became 
one  of  the  largest,  most  powerful,  and  wealthy  kingdoms  of  the 
world,  extending  north  and  south  from  Ezion-geber  on  the  Red 
Sea,  "  unto  the  entering  in  of  Hamath  " '  in  northern  Syria,  and 
east  and  west  "  from  the  river  of  Egypt,  unto  the  great  river, 
the  river  Euphrates,"  *  covering  an  area  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand square  miles,  equal  to  some  of  the  largest  kingdoms  of 
Europe ;  and  in  point  of  riches  and  wisdom  Solomon  is  said 
to  have  surpassed  "all  the  kings  of  the  earth;"'  and  all 
neighboring  nations  acknowledged  his  power,  and  contributed 
to  his  wealth  by  sending  him  every  year  costly  presents  in 
gold,  silver,  and  other  articles.  So  great  was  his  affluence  that 
"  all  his  drinking- vessels  were  of  pure  gold ;  none  were  silver  ;  it 
was  not  any  thing  accounted  of  in  the  days  of  Solomon."  *  When 
the  Qaeen  of  Sheba  visited  him,  and  beheld  the  splendor  of 
his  court,  "  there  was  no  more  spirit  in  her,"  and  she  exclaimed, 
"The  half  of  thy  greatness  and  wisdom  was  not  told  me. 
Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  delighteth  in  thee,  to  set 
thee  on  the  throne  of  Israel."  *  After  the  death  of  Solomon 
this  magnificent  kingdom  began  to  decline,  and  in  a  few  years 
the  boundaries  of  the  Holy  Land  were  contracted  to  the  limited 
territory,  "  from  Dan  to  Beer-sheba."  *  In  modem  times  the 
Land  of  Promise  is  better  known  as  Palestine  or  Palestina,  the 
Greek  form  of  Philistine,  a  once  powerful  nation  who  occupied 
the  rich  plain  of  Philistia,  between  the  Judean  mountains  and 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  have  stamped  their  name  on  the 
whole  of  the  land  of  Israel. 

Palestine  was  first  inhabited  by  the  Hittites,  Amorites,  Jebu- 
sites,  and  other  Canaanitish  tribes,  being  aU  descendants  of  Ca- 

•  Judges  iii,  8 ;  1  Kings  ii,  26.    »  Genesis  xv,  18.     '2  Ciironicles  ix,  22,  24. 
« 2  Chronicles  ix,  20.  »  1  Kings  x,  9.        •  1  Kings  iv,  25. 


EARLY   ESTHABITAITTS    OF   PALESTINE.  1  1  1 

naan,  son  of  Ham,  and  grandson  of  Noah,  who  is  supposed  to 
have  lived  and  died  here.  Hence,  the  country  was  early  called 
the  "  Land  of  Canaan," '  which  properly  appHed  only  to  West- 
em  Palestine,  as  the  nations  east  of  the  Jordan  were  of  Semitic 
origin.  The  first  settlements  of  the  Canaanites  were  in  the  low 
valley  of  the  Jordan,  and  on  the  plains  of  Pliilistia  uiul  Plue- 
nicia,  "by  the  sea,  "'  as  the  name  signifies  dwellers  in  the  low 
lands,  or  by  the  sea ;  and  we  are  informed  that  Zidon,  the  eldest 
son  of  Canaan,  founded  the  city  that  bears  his  name,  and  was 
father  of  the  Sidonians  and  Phoenicians.  Canaan  had  ten  other 
sons  who  were  heads  of  as  many  tribes  dwelling  in  this  land, 
so  that  most  if  not  all  of  the  nations  occupying  Syria  in  the 
days  of  the  patriarchs  were  Canaanites.  These  tribes,  on  ac- 
count of  their  idolatry  and  great  wickedness,  were  driven  out 
or  exterminated  by  the  IsraeHtes,  who,  except  at  short  intervals, 
held  the  country  until  David's  illustrious  successor — our  world's 
Redeemer— came  and  set  up  his  spiritual  kingdom,  confined  to 
no  particular  land  or  race,  being  a  kingdom  of  righteousness 
and  peace,  and  destined  to  prevail  in  the  earth  imtil  all  "  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and 
of  his  Christ." ' 

Western  Palestine,  that  is,  "  from  Dan  to  Beer-sheba,"  is  only 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  long,  by  one  third  that  dis- 
tance wide,  and  yet  this  narrow  strip  of  territory,  of  no  partic- 
ular value  in  itself,  is  replete  with  historic  and  sacred  interest. 
Forming,  as  it  does,  the  key  to  Western  Asia,  it  has  been  held 
at  different  periods  by  all  the  great  nations  of  antiquity,  and 
may  very  properly  be  styled  "  the  battle-field  of  the  world." 
The  surface  of  the  country  is  broken  and  rocky,  the  spurs  of 
the  Lebanon  range  of  mountains  extending  the  entire  length  of 

•  Genesis  xiii,  12.         '  Numbers  xiii,  29.         *  Revelatiou  xi,  15. 


112  BIBLE    LAjSTDS. 

the  land,  fVtrming  the  great  divide  between  the  Mediterranean 
on  the  west,  and  the  Jordan  valley  on  the  east.  The  soil,  how- 
ever, is  exceedingly  rich,  and  capable  of  sustaining  ten  times 
the  present  population.  It  is  still  a  country  "  of  corn  and  oil 
and  wine."  The  olive  and  vine  grow  luxuriantly  on  the  lime- 
stone ridges,  and  the  fertile  plains  of  Sharon  and  Esdraelon, 
under  proper  cultivation,  would  still  yield  a  hundred-fold  of 
wheat,  barley,  or  other  cereals ;  and  the  yield  of  these  prod- 


>v  V„\.: 


TEXT-LIFE  IX  THE  HOLT  LAND. 


ucts  must  always  have  been  great,  as  the  nume^'ous  ancient  oil 
and  wine  presses  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  and  the  many  threshing- 
floors  every-where  to  be  seen,  fully  attest. 

There  are  no  roads  or  public  conveyances  in  Palestine  proper, 
except  between  Jaffa  and  Jerusalem ;  so  in  making  the  tour  of 
the  Holy  Land  you  are  required  to  employ  a  dragoman,  who 
will  furnish  tents,  horses,  beds,  and  every  thing  else  necessary 
for  the  jouri'ey.     And  there  is  something  very  romantic  in 


CnARACTEU  OF  TUE  COUNTRY.  113 

tliis  tent  life.  Just  fancy  the  pleasure  of  traveling  over  the 
same  hills  and  through  the  same  valleys  once  trodden  by  the 
weary  feet  of  God's  eternal  Son.  Camping  on  Olivet,  lunch- 
ing at  Jericho,  bathing  in  the  Jordan,  drinking  from  Jacob's 
well,  sleeping  in  Nazareth,  and  then  spending  a  Sunday  on 
Carmel,  Tabor,  or  some  other  mount  of  equal  interest.  Could 
any  thing  be  more  inspiring  ? 

The  present  population  of  Palestine  is  not  over  four  hundred 
thousand,  and  appears  yearly  to  be  diminishing.  No  new  vil- 
ages  are  springing  up,  and  the  old  ones  are  slowly  going  to  de- 
cay. The  people,  too,  are  becoming  impoverished  ;  there  is  less 
wealth  among  the  fellaheen,  fewer  horses,  camels,  and  stock  of 
all  kinds,  than  formerly.  Fruit  and  forest  trees  are  also  disap- 
pearing. Carmel  was  almost  stripped  of  its  timber  for  the 
Suez  canal,  and  as  fruit  trees  are  taxed  whether  they  bear  or 
not,  few  are  planted.  Every  thing  appears  to  be  finished ;  there 
is  no  progress,  no  improvement  of  any  kind. 

These  evils  are  in  part  owing  to  the  frequent  incursions  of 

the  Bedouins,  and  consequent  insecurity  of  life  and  property. 

These  wild  Arabs  of    the   desert  are   as    uncivilized   as  they 

were  three  thousand   years  ago,  and  the  government  seems 

to  have  no    control    over    them.     AVithin  a   year    they  have 

plundered  villages  and  robbed  caravans  in  sight  of  Jerusalem. 

But  this  condition  of  things  is  mainly  due  to  Turkish  rule,  or 

rather  misrule.     The  people  have  no  constitutional  government, 

no  courts  of  justice,  no  trials  by  jury.      The  Sultan  claims  to 

own  the  country  and  every  thing  in  it.      The  taxes,  which 

amount  to  from  ten  to  fifty  per  cent.,  are  not  equally  assessed, 

but  farmed  out  to  the  highest  bidder,  who  frequently  is  some 

merciless  agent  of  the  Government.     This  system  of  taxation  is 

crushing  the  nation  to  death,  and  has  brouglit  about  tlie  prc-unt 
8 


1J4  BIBLE    LAiS'DS. 

wretched  condition  of  Turkey,  which  is  due  ahnost  wholly 
to  tlie  rapacity,  corruption,  and  cruelty  of  the  pashas  and  their 
tax-collectors,  who  have  literally  sucked  the  life-blood  out  of 
the  land.  It  is  no  object  for  the  oppressed  tillers  of  the  soil 
to  raise  any  thing  beyond  their  immediate  wants,  as  they  are 
des})oiled  of  all  their  surplus  crops  by  these  rapacious  task- 
masters. 

If  half  the  extortion  is  true  these  collectors  are  charged  with, 
they  must  be  worse  than  the  publicans  of  old.  Then,  all  the 
able-i)odicd  men  are  pressed  into  the  army,  leaving  only  the  aged 
and  the  women  to  cultivate  the  land.  These  peasant  women 
do  most  of  the  manual  labor,  are  generally  treated  as  slaves, 
never  as  the  equals  of  man,  and,  like  all  women  in  the  Orient, 
occupy  a  subordinate  position,  and  have  no  rights  that  mau  is 
bound  to  res])ect.  They  are  good  field  hands,  and  many  of 
them  very  j)owerful.  During  the  late  war  the  Russians,  having 
caj)tured  a  Turkish  fortress  in  which  there  were  many  females, 
the  Russian  oflicer  in  command  issued  an  order  permitting  all 
the  women  to  leave,  taking  with  them  any  thing  they  could 
carry.  He,  however,  was  greatly  surjn-ised  when  he  saw  every 
woman  march  out  with  a  man  on  her  back ! 

In  the  Ottoman  Empire  all  soldiers  are  conscripted,  and  no 
substitutes  allowed.  It  is  a  .-ingular  fact,  however,  that  the 
men  who  can  afford  to  pay  liberal  btir-ks/iecs/i  are  never  drafted. 
The  law  provides  that  only  one  out  of  a  family  shall  be  taken, 
but  the  demand  for  men  is  so  great  they  take  all  old  enough  to 
fccrve.  The  law  also  exempts  an  only  s<>n  and  tlie  husband  «»f  a 
helpless  wife ;  no  respect,  however,  is  ]iaid  to  this  statute.  After 
tne  conscription  they  are  alloweil  to  return  home  for  a  few 
M-oeks,  but  should  they  fail  to  report  for  duty  at  the  pro])er 
time,  and  can't,  be  fcjund,  the  next  akin — perhaps  the  father,  or 


FOKEIGX    CUNSULATES.  115 

ail  elder  brotlicr — is  aiTcsted,  and  held  as  a  hostage  till  the  sol- 
dier is  delivered  np,  who  is  severely  bastinadoed  as  a  deserter. 
You  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  heart-rending  than  the 
removal  of  these  conscripts  from  their  villages.  The  friends 
gather  round  them  and  sit  and  weep  for  hours.  The  whole  \'il- 
lage  is  in  mourning,  and  when  iinally  they  are  marched  off 
their  relatives  follow  them  as  to  the  grave. 

On  one  occasion  we  witnessed  the  departure  of  a  regiment 
of  these  men  for  the  seat  of  war.  It  was  an  affecting  scene  to 
see  them  first  kiss  and  then  embrace  their  loved  ones.  A  long 
caravan  of  camels  led  the  way  with  the  baggage ;  then  came 
the  soldiers  on  foot,  followed  by  their  friends — ^vives  with  their 
babes  either  sitting  on  their  shoulders  or  slung  over  their  backs, 
and  mothers  weeping  as  if  their  hearts  would  break.  One, 
both  aged  and  blind,  was  led  up  that  she  might  touch  once  more 
her  son  and  only  support,  and  as  she  laid  her  wrinkled  hand 
upon  his  face  his  manly  heart  gave  way,  and  he  wept  like  a  lit- 
tle child.  l*oor  wretches  !  well  might  they  weep  !  for  they  serve 
without  pay,  have  nothing  to  leave  for  the  support  of  their 
families,  and  not  one  in  ten  will  ever  return  again. 

But  the  saddest  scene  was  after  the  soldiers  liad  all  left, 
when  the  crowd  dispersed,  and  the  wives  and  children,  mothers 
and  sisters,  came  back  through  the  gates  of  the  city  to  their 
desolate  homes,  with  no  means  to  support,  no  religion  to  com- 
fort, no  Government  to  protect  them. 

Foreigners  are  not  subject  to  these  outrages,  and  are  about 
the  only  privileged  class  in  the  country.  Turkey  by  her  treat- 
ies with  foreign  nations  transfers  all  authority  over  foreigners 
to  their  respective  consuls.  So  that  a  citizen  of  another  coun- 
try, residing  in  Turkey,  is  under  the  exclusive  jurisdiction  of 
his  eoTiPul,  who  alone  has  power  to  arrest,  try,  and  punish  liim ; 


116  BIBLE    LANDS. 

and  all  charges  against  him  must  be  presented  in  the  conBular 
conrt  of  his  own  connti-y,  of  which  the  Consul  is  judge  and 
jury.  Tlie  result  is,  we  have  a  dozen  or  more  independent 
tril)nnais  representing  the  leading  nations  of  the  world,  clothed 
with  almost  absolute  authority,  and  exercising,  m  some  cases,  the 
power  of  life  and  death.  Eacli  consulate  is  the  head  of  the 
government  it  represents,  and  has  its  own  subjects,  courts,  offi- 
cers, and  prison,  and  the  execution,  if  not  the  making,  of  its  own 
laws.  Tlie  decisions  of  these  different  courts  are  often  partial, 
and  sometimes  conflict  with  each  other,  and,  there  being  no 
court  of  appeals  or  international  court  having  appellate  juris- 
diction in  such  cases,  many  questions  can  never  be  settled,  and 
the  guilty  often  go  unpunished ;  so  tliat  really,  with  all  these 
courts  and  governors,  there  is  very  little  justice,  and  very  poor 
government. 

Jerusalem  is  a  city  of  about  thirty  thousand  inhabitants — 
twenty  thousand  of  whom  are  Jews,  the  remainder  being  about 
equally  divided  between  Mohammedans  and  Christians.  The 
Christian  population  is  made  up  of  Greeks,  Latins,  Arminians, 
Syrians,  Copts,  and  a  few  Protestants.  With  the  exception  of 
those  earnest  workers  connected  with  the  Protestant  missions 
there  is  very  little  vital  piety  among  any  of  them,  every  thing 
formal,  ceremonial,  mechanical.  The  late  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
Gobat,  Anglican  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  was  a  liberal,  intelligent, 
godly  man,  and  did  much  for  his  Master's  cause.  After  spend- 
ing more  than  half  a  century  in  hard  missionary  work  in  Abys- 
sinia and  Syria,  in  his  eightieth  year  he  resigned  his  office,  and 
with  it  his  life,  as  within  a  few  months  thereafter  death  closed 
his  eventful  career.  May  his  mantle  fall  on  some  worthy 
Elisha ! 

About  the   only  difference  between   the   Greek  and  Latin 


THE    FUTURE    OF    PALESTINE. 


117 


Churches  is  the  absence  in  the  former  of  all  images,  and  then 
the  privilege  is  allowed  her  priesthood  of  marrying  once.  A 
friend  of  mine,  stopping  on  one  occasion  with  a  Greek  priest, 
observed  him  washing  the  clothes,  and  doing  many  other  little 
turns  the  good  housewife  usually  attends  to  with  us,  and  was 
prompted  to  incpiire  of  the  priest  if  his  wife  was  sick  ?  "  O, 
no ! "  was  the  reply,  ''  but  yon  know  we  priests  are  only  al- 


PULISH    JEW. 


lowed  one  wife,  and  if  I  permitted  my  wife  to  expose  herself 
she  might  take  cold  and  die ;  then  what  would  become  of  me  ? 
I  could  never  marry  again."  Sure  enough  ;  what  would  become 
of  our  poor  widowers  if  they  could  never  marry  again  ? 

What  the  future  of  Palestine  is  to  be  under  the  protectorate 
of  England  time  alone  can  tell.  How  far  the  SubHme  Porte 
will  carry  out  the  proposed  reforms  remains  to  be  seen.  We 
predict,  however,  an  utter  failure,  as  the  great  mass  of  the  popu- 


lis  BIBLE    LANDS. 

lation  are  bigoted  Mohammedans,  who  would  rather  die  tlian 
submit  to  Christian  rule.  And  as  to  the  return  of  God's  scat- 
tered Israel  to  the  Promised  Land,  we  must  wait  further  devel- 
opments. There  are  now  about  thirty  thousand  Jews  in  all 
Palestine.  Thej  are  mostly  from  Poland  and  Russia,  and  come 
here  not  to  develop  the  country,  but  from  religious  motives,  to 
mourn  over  the  desolation  of  Zion,  and  to  die,  that  their  bodies 
may  sleep  with  their  fathers  in  holy  ground.  They  are  gener- 
ally aged  and  poor,  living  on  the  alms  of  their  people  collected 
in  Europe  and  America.  It  will  require  a  different  class  of 
unmiffrants  altogether  to  restore  this  cursed  land  to  what  it 
once  was.  The  latest  programme  for  Palestine  is  not  Jewish, 
but  papal  occupancy.  The  Jesuits  of  Europe  are  dissatisfied 
with  the  state  of  things  in  Italy,  and  there  is  a  movement  on 
foot  to  make  Jerusalem  the  head  of  the  Latin  Church.  Com- 
missioners have  been  appointed  to  negotiate  for  the  territory. 
Engineers  have  surveyed  a  railroad  from  Jaffa  to  Jerusalem. 
Money  is  being  collected  for  this  road,  and  the  erection  of  a 
magnificent  palace  for  his  holiness  on  Mount  Zion,  to  which 
the  wealth  of  the  Vatican  is  to  be  transferred ;  here  the  suc- 
cessors to  St.  Peter  are  to  reign,  and  the  "  City  of  the  Great 
King "  is  to  be  the  future  head  of  the  Romish  Pontificate. 
Lord  Beaconsficld,  however,  may  have  something  to  say  in  the 
future  disposition  of  Palestine. 


CHAPTEK  11. 

FROM   JAFFA    TO    JKRUSALEVf. 

Oldest  Sea-port  in  the  World — Difficulty  of  landing — Oriental  Life — Plain  of  Sha- 
ron— City  of  the  Great  King — First  inipressions — Jews'  Wailing-place — Ruin 
anil  desolation — Interest  awakened  by  the  Holy  Places. 

JAFFA,  or  ancient  Joj^pa,  tlie  port  of  Jcnisalcm,  and  oldest 
sea-port  in  the  world,  tlie  very  same  from  wliich  Jonah 
embarked  on  his  eventful  voyage,  and  wlicre,  it  is  said,  Noah 
launched  his  ark  upon  tlie  shoreless  deep,  is  one  of  the  most 
dangerous  harbors  to  enter,  and,  when  the  weather  is  stormy,  to 
land  is  almost  impossible. 

We  had  been  favoreil  with  pleasant  weather  and  a  pleasant 
passage  over  the  Mediterranean,  and  were  promising  ourselves 
a  pleasant  landing  the  next  morning  at  Jaffa,  when  about  mid- 
night, the  last  night  we  were  out,  all  at  once  there  arose  a 
tearful  storm,  and  as  we  approached  the  port  in  the  early  morn 
the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale,  and  the  waves  threatened  to  en- 
gulf the  little  boats  that  ventured  out  to  take  the  passengers 
ashore.  Many  on  board  were  pilgrims  on  their  way  to  the 
holy  places,  and  it  was  frightful  to  see  the  poor  wretches 
swung  out  over  the  sides  of  the  ship  by  ropes  tied  round  their 
waists,  and,  after  dangling  in  the  air  till  the  proper  moment, 
dropped  into  the  boats  below,  the  sea  being  too  rough  to  land 
them  in  the  usual  way.  Finally,  it  came  our  turn  to  quit  the 
ship.  IIow  this  was  accomplished  we  shall  leave  for  some  one 
else  to  relate.     The  great  difficulty  was  in   getting  into  the 

small    boat,  which    one   moment    would  rise   level   with    the 

119 


120  BIBLE    LANDS. 

steamer's  deck,  and  the  next  sink  with  the  receding  waters 
until  lost  to  view  under  the  sides  of  the  ship.  "With  fear  and 
trembling  we  waited  our  opportunity,  and,  as  the  little  boat 
rose  on  tlie  swell  of  the  sea,  made  the  leap  ;  it  seemed  like  leap- 
ing into  the  jaws  of  death,  but  a  gracious  Providence  ordered 
it  otherwise.  Thougli  now  safely  in  the  boat,  we  were  still  a 
mile  from  sliore.  I  shall  never  forget  that  ride.  The  storm 
raged  with  increasing  violence.  I  thought  of  Jonah's  advent- 
ure on  this  same  coast,  of  Paul's  shipwreck  in  this  same  sea, 
and  of  Andromeda  chained  to  the  rocks  over  which  the  waves 
were  now  dashing,  threatening  us  with  the  same  fate.  One 
billow  broke  over  us,  and  when  my  wife  exclaimed,  "  We  arc 
lost !  we  are  lost  1 "  1  thought  for  a  moment  we  were  gone. 
Another  wave  like  it  would  certainly  swamp  us ;  and  it  is  com- 
ing ;  we  see  its  foaming  crest  on  our  starboard ;  it  is  also  seen  at 
the  same  moment  by  the  helmsman.  "  Ilard-a-port ! "  he  shouts 
to  the  six  swarthy  men  at  the  oars.  The  wave  strikes  us  harm- 
lessly, and,  lifting  us  like  a  feather  on  its  heaving  bosom,  bears 
us  safely  to  the  shore. 

Jaffa  contains  a  population  of  perhaps  fifteen  thousand,  not- 
withstanding it  has  been  destroyed  and  rebuilt  a  dozen  times. 
The  last  scene  in  its  bloody  history  was  enacted  by  IS'apoleon  I. 
in  1799,  when  he  cruelly  put  to  death  its  garrison  of  four 
thousand  Albanians,  after  stipulating,  as  a  condition  of  sur- 
render, that  their  Hves  should  be  spared ;  and  then  poisoned  liis 
own  soldiers  who  were  too  sick  to  follow  him  in  his  retreat  from 
Syria,  after  his  repulse  at  Acre.  The  site  of  Simon's  house, 
"  the  tanner  "  with  whom  Peter  was  stopping  when  he  raised 
Tabitha  to  life,  and  where  he  had  his  vision  of  the  Gospel  dis- 
pensation, is  still,  with  good  authority,  pointed  out  "  by  the 
sea-side." 


JAFFA. 


121 


The  city,  being  situated  on  a  commanding  bluff,  crowned 
with  the  governor's  palace,  presents  a  picturesque  appearance 
from  the  water ;  but  no  sooner  do  your  feet  touch  the  shore 
than  all  these  first  impressions  are  dissipated.  The  streets  are 
crooked,  narrow,  and  filthy;  crowded  with  camels,  donkeys 
and  dogs,  beggars,  lepers,  and  half-naked  Arabs,  rendering  it 
difficult  to  pass  between  them.  The  moment,  however,  you 
leave  the  city  the  whole  scene  is  changed.     You  are  now  in 


122 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


tlie  land  of  sacred  and  classic  lore,  of  dreams  and  legends,  of 
sunshine  and  flowers.  And  the  groves  of  bananas,  oranges  and 
pomegranates,  inclosed  with  hedges  of  blooming  cacti ;  the  veiled 
women  reclining  under  the  palm-trees,  or  strolling  among  the 
tombs;  and  the  turbaned  men,  with  their  long  beards  and  flow- 
ing robes  sitting  in  the  city  gates,  or  smoking  their  nargilehs 
under  their  "  own  vine  and  tig-tree,"  remind  one  of  j)atriarchal 
times,  and  present  a  scene  only  to  be  met  with  in  the  East. 

Jerusalem  is  two  thousand  six  hundred  feet  above,  and  thirty- 
five  miles  east  of  Jaffa  ;  and  apart  from  the  wretched  people 


KIRJATH-JKARIM — EMMAltf. 


you  meet  by  the  way,  some  blind,  others  lame,  and  all  in  rags, 
nothing  could  be  more  delightful  than  this  ride  of  ten  hours. 
For  twenty  miles  the  road  lies  over  the  flowery  Plain  of  Slia- 
ron,  the  country  of  the  old  Philistines,  and  through  the  very 
corn-fields  destroyed  by  Samson's  foxes.  We  begin  ascending 
the  Mountains  of  Judea  from  the  valley  of  Ajalon,  where 
Joshua  defeated  the  five  kings  of  the  Amorites.  The  road 
from  here  crosses  a  succession  of  ridges,  from  the  summits  of 


TITE    CITY    OF   THE    OREAT    KING.  123 

which  we  get  grand  views  of  the  Land  of  Canaan ;  from  one 
point  in  particular,  near  Enimaus,  where  Christ  revealed  him- 
self to  two  of  his  disciples  on  the  day  of  his  resurrection,  the 
wholo  plain  of  Sharon,  from  Carmel  to  Askelon,  dotted  with 
villages,  with  the  blue  sea  on  the  distant  horizon,  may  be  seen. 
But  we  have  no  time  to  muse  on  the  landscape.  The  object 
of  our  journey  and  our  heart's  desire  lies  just  beyond  the  ridge 
before  us — the  highest  of  the  range.  "We  spur  up  our  jaded 
horses,  and  soon  cross  the  great  mountain  barrier  between  the 
Dead  Sea  and  Mediterranean,  when  lo !  Jerusalem,  all  aglow 
in  the  gleams  of  a  gorgeous  sunset,  bursts  upon  our  vision,  and 
with  hearts  throbbing  with  unutterable  emotion  we  ride  through 
the  "  Gates  of  Zion,"  and  dismount  in  the  "  City  of  God." 

If  in  visiting  the  battle-fields  of  Marathon  or  Bunker  Ilill 
one  feels  inspired  with  patriotic  ardor,  is  it  not  a  cold  philoso- 
phy which  would  suppress  our  religious  emotions  when  we 
visit  the  scene  of  our  Lord's  great  triumph  over  death  and  hell  ? 
Such  objects  of  interest  as  Bethany,  Gethsemane  and  Gol- 
gotha give  wings  to  our  faith,  and  warm  the  heart  with  in- 
creased zeal.  Though  we  may  not  be  able  to  determine  the 
precise  spot  where  the  events  occurred  which  render  sacred 
these  places,  such  is  the  influence  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
the  glory  of  his  personal  presence,  the  whole  land  seems  fra- 
grant with  his  memory.  What  hallowed  recollections  the  walls 
and  towers  of  Zion  awaken !  What  influences  have  gone  out 
from  this  center !  Toward  Calvary  the  hearts  of  millions  daily 
turn  for  comfort,  and  when  we  have  forgotten  every  other 
event  of  time,  the  Cross,  with  its  bleeding,  dying  Victim,  the 
tomb  of  Joseph,  radiant  with  immortality,  and  Olivet,  flashing 
with  the  glory  of  our  ascending  King,  will  still  be  fresh  in 
our  memories. 


124  BIBLE    LANDS. 

True,  visitinor  these  places  is  not  devotion,  nor  can  they 
make  us  better  or  wiser,  and  yet,  as  music  soothes  tlie  soul,  and 
the  presence  of  a  friend  cheers  the  heart,  so  the  sight  of  these 
sacred  spots  tills  us  with  emotions  of  pleasure  we  can  never 

express. 

"Even  tlie  lifeless  stoue  is  dear 

For  thoughts  of  Ilini." 

Alas  for  our  race,  if  we  had  to  come  to  the  Jordan  to  be 
baptized,  or  to  Jerusalem  to  worship !  "VVe  rejoice  in  the  i)ure, 
8iuij)le,  majestic  system  of  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ,  stripped 
of  all  the  forms,  legends,  and  superstitious  rites  that  a  corrupt 
priesthood  would  substitute  for  divine  worship.  Let  us  bless 
Leaven  for  the  simple  truth,  the  priceless  gift  of  God  to  man ! 

Why  God  selected  this  city  before  all  others  for  the  habita- 
tion of  his  hohness  will,  perhaps,  never  be  known ;  but  so  long 
as  our  race  occupies  this  gk)be  the  name  of  Jerusalem  will  be 
sacred.  It  must  always  be  regarded  as  the  capital  of  Christen- 
dom, the  great  center  of  religious  interest,  and  the  most  memo- 
rable spot  on  earth.  Even  they  who  discard  our  faith  must 
reverence  this  city  for  its  great  antiquity  and  historic  asso 
ciatious.  Long  before  Rome,  or  Athens,  or  Thebes  were 
founded,  Jerusalem  lifted  her  towers  from  the  crest  of  Mount 
Zion.  Though  dethroned  and  impoverished,  she  is  still  in- 
vested with  imperishable  dignity.  In  Solomon's  time  she  was 
"  the  perfection  of  beauty,"  the  "  joy  of  the  whole  earth  ; " 
great  in  wealth,  powerful  in  war,  and  luxurious  in  peace.  Her 
gorgeous  Temple — the  first  ever  built  with  hands  for  the  invisi- 
ble Jehovah — and  her  magnificent  palaces  were  unrivaled. 
When  Titus  beheld  her  beauty  he  felt  grieved  to  mar  her 
works  of  art  with  the  sword  and  torch.  Richard,  the  lion- 
hearted  King  of  England,  counted  it  honor  enough  to  look 


'\^^   ;f|r,4 


-i 


v/:-r  -m.'t 


FIRST   mPRESSIONS.  127 

upon  her  battlements  from  the  top  of  Scopus.  The  army  of 
Crusaders,  after  lighting  their  way  to  the  very  portals  of  the 
Iloly  City,  fell  upon  their  knees,  covered  their  faces  with  their 
shields,  and  wept  like  childi'en,  considering  themselves  unworthy 
e\-en  to  behold  her  glory ;  and  countless  thousands  of  noble 
knights  have  laid  down  their  lives  for  the  privilege  of  standing 
within  her  gates.  This  reverence  for  the  place  continues  to 
the  present.  Jew,  Mussulman,  and  Christian  still  consider  hej 
the  Queen  city,  and  ])ilgrims  from  all  lands,  in  great  numbers, 
annually  visit  her.  Many  of  them  come  to  die,  esteeming  it  a 
privilege  tu  be  buried  in  the  soil  made  sacred  by  the  ashes  of 
the  Patriarchs  and  the  blood  of  our  world's  Kedeemer. 

The  ilrst  ini])rcssion  on  entering  the  city  is  one  of  disappoint- 
ment. There  is  nothing  cheerful  about  the  place ;  a  mass  of 
stone  houses  of  Saracenic  style,  without  windows,  courts,  gar- 
dens, or  any  comforts ;  narrow,  gloomy  streets,  without  drain- 
age, lamps,  or  sidewalks.  On  Mount  Moriah  you  see  the  cres- 
cent elevated  above  the  rock  over  which  the  grand  temple  of 
Solomon  once  lifted  its  golden  dome.  Mount  Zion,  the  site  of 
the  royal  city  of  David,  is  now  mostly  without  the  walls,  and 
used  as  a  cemetery.  Ophel,  once  the  most  magnificent  part  of 
the  city,  is  now  either  "  plowed  as  a  field,"  or  overrun  with 
weeds  and  prickly-pear.  The  valley  through  which  flowed 
"  the  sweet  gliding  Kedron  "  is  filled  up  with  loose  stones  to  a 
depth  of  from  forty  to  fifty  feet,  and  is  now  entirely  dry  ;  and 
much  of  the  city  within  the  walls  is  in  the  same  deplorable 
condition — open  courts  filled  with  garbage,  whole  squares  de 
serted  or  given  up  to  the  lej)ers  and  dogs,  and  the  entire  city 
"  trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles."  But  beneath  this  accumula 
tion  of  filth,  covered  with  rubbish,  lies  the  "  City  of  the  Great 
King."     Dig  down  almost  anywhere  within  the  old  walls,  fifty 


128  r.UUA'.    LANDS. 

or  a  hundred  feet,  and  yon  will  come  upon  broken  columnp, 
grand  gate-ways,  massive  substructures,  and  otber  remains  of 
a  great  city— in  fact,  city  over  city,  house  on  top  of  house, 
generation  above  generation.  This  buried  city  is  the  Jerusa- 
lem of  Christ.  It  was  through  these  subterranean  streets  that 
the  "  Man  of  sorrows "  bore  the  weighty  instrument  of  his 
torture  and  death  to  the  scene  of  his  cnicifixion ;  and  in  the 
present  ruined  condition  of  the  place  we  see  the  literal  ful- 
fillment of  the  prophecy  he  uttered  in  reference  to  this  city, 
"  There  shall  not  be  left  one  stone  upon  another,  that  shall 
not  be  thrown  do^vn."  ' 

This  nibbish  is  the  accumulation  of  ages.  Jerusalem  has 
been  destroyed  a  score  of  times  by  war,  fire,  and  earthquakes, 
and  when  the  place  was  rebuilt  the  rubbish  was  not  removed, 
but  merely  leveled  off,  and  a  new  city  built  on  the  ruins  of  the 
old. 

Then  the  streets  of  all  Oriental  cities  arc  very  narrow,  and 
the  people  spend  most  of  their  time  in  the  open  air,  throwing 
all  their  garbage,  ashes,  and  every  thing  else  into  the  streets. 
So  if  we  suppose  this  offal  to  accumulate  at  the  rate  of  but  one 
inch  in  a  year,  we  have  in  twenty  centuries  one  hundred  and 
sixty  feet  of  debris. 

In  digging  a  foundation  for  a  mission  school  on  Mount  Zion, 
they,  at  a  depth  of  twenty  feet,  came  upon  a  large  column 
standing  erect,  belonging  to  some  ancient  edifice,  which  they 
concluded  to  use  as  a  comer-stone  for  the  foundation ;  and  when 
the  house  was  completed,  they  began  digging  in  the  court-yard 
for  a  cistern,  when  they  struck  upon  a  massive  stone  tower, 
probably  belonging  to  the  same  edifice  the  column  did,  which 
they  thought  would  answer  for  a  cistern ;  but  when  cleaning  it 
'  Matthew  xxiv,  2. 


WAILING-PLACE    OF    THE    JEWS. 


129 


out  before  cementing,  they  found  it  full  of  human  skulls  and 
bones,  the  skeletons,  perhaps,  of  soldiers  who  fell  in  defense  of 
their  citadel ;  and  that  old  tower  is  the  cistern  of  the  mission 
school  to-day. 

Those  who  feel  disappointed  in  the  wretched  outward  ap- 
pearance of  Jerusalem  forget  that  according  to  pro23hecy  the 


UIK    JK\\.S'    WAILING-PLACE. 


place  was  to  be  ''  laid  waste,"  and  become  a  "  heap  of  rubbish," 
and  that,  if  it  presented  any  other  appearance  than  it  does,  it 
would  lose  all  interest  to  the  Christian,  as  it  would  falsify  the 
predictions  concerning  it. 

Over  this  waste  the  Jews  are  constantly  pouring  their  lamenta- 


130  BIBLE    UU^DS. 

tionsj  and  nothing  could  be  moie  touchingly  sad  than  a  visit  to 
their  "  wailing-place "  on  the  western  side  of  the  old  temple 
wall,  they  not  being  allowed  to  enter  the  inclosure  of  their 
own  sanctuary.  Here,  on  the  eve  of  their  Sabbath,  hundreds 
of  the  children  of  Abraham  may  be  seen  kissing  the  cold  stones, 
some  praying  or  reading  portions  of  Scripture,  and  others 
weeping  as  if  their  hearts  would  break  over  the  desolation  of 
Zion. 

They  come  from  all  lands — are  of  every  age,  from  youth  to 
fourscore  years ;  and  this  sobbing,  sorrowing  multitude  have 
been  coming  through  a  long  course  of  years,  century  after 
century,  ever  since  the  destruction  of  their  temple  and  city  by 
the  Romans.  What  superstition,  what  devotion,  what  faith ! 
Among  their  lamentations  may  be  heard,  "  O,  may  our  Father 
in  his  infinite  mercy  compassionate  his  orphans,  and  gather  his 
dispersed  children  to  the  holy  land !  O  Lord,  return  to  thy 
city !  build  thine  holy  oracles,  dwell  in  thine  house,  and  gather 
in  thy  scattered  flock.  May  it  please  God,  who  is  mighty  in 
works,  thus  to  command." 

And  it  is  so  with  the  whole  country.  You  see  nothing  but 
ruin  and  desolation  every-where.  The  people  are  poor  and 
ignorant,  the  land  neglected  and  barren,  and  the  towns  filthy 
and  cheerless.  Yet  many  of  these  insignificant  and  ruined  vil- 
lages possess  greater  interest  to  the  enlightened  Christian  than 
the  most  ancient  and  renowned  cities  of  the  pagan  world. 
What  is  Nineveh,  or  Babylon,  or  Thebes,  in  comparison  with 
Bethel,  or  Bethlehem,  or  Nazareth  ?  Many  count  it  a  great 
privilege  to  visit  the  tomb  of  Washington,  or  Napoleon ;  how 
much  more  to  visit  the  tomb  of  such  a  man  as  Abraham,  or 
Joseph,  or  David  I 


CHAPTER  HI. 


A    WALK    ABOUT   ZION. 


Stroll  around  the  Holy  City — Points  of  Interest — Suggestive  of  Christ's  Parables — 
Identity  of  the  Holy  Places — The  Enduring  Word — Result  of  Scientific  In- 
vestigation. 

"VTO  city  in  the  world  is  more  sacred  in  its  associations  than 
JL 1  Jerusalem,  and  none  more  charming  as  a  place  of  residence. 
The  average  summer  temperature  is  from  eighty-four  to  eighty- 
six  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  the  winters  are  equally  mild  and 
pleasant — birds  singing  and  flowers  blooming  the  year  round. 
Fancy  for  a  moment  yourself  in  the  City  of  David ;  getting 
up  early  to  see  the  sun  rise  over  the  mountains  of  Moab ;  then 
going  down  to  the  tomb  of  Christ,  or  up  into  the  "  courts  of 
the  Lord's  house "  on  Moriah,  for  morning  prayers  ;  or  stroU- 
ing  along  Yia  Dolorosa,  under  the  Ecce  Homo  Arch,  by  the 
Judgment-hall  of  Pilate,  and  out  of  St.  Stephen's  gate ;  cross- 
ing the  Kedron  on  a  little  stone  bridge,  and  turning  into  the 
garden  of  Gethsemane  on  your  left  for  meditation;  sitting 
down  under  one  of  the  old  olive  trees  perhaps  marking  the 
spot  of  our  Lord's  agony,  and  gathering  beautiful  wild  flowers 
from  beneath  your  feet,  crimsoned  as  with  his  bloody  sweat ; 
then,  continuing  your  stroll  over  Olivet  by  the  Church  of  the 
Ascension,  pausing  for  a  moment  to  rest  on  the  traditional  rock 
where  Christ  sat  when  he  wept  over  the  doomed  city  of  the  Jews, 
and  on  out  to  Bethany,  visiting  the  reputed  house  of  Simon  the 
leper,  and  of  Mary  and  Martha,  and  the  tomb  of  their  brother 
Lazarus.     Then,  returning  by  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and 

133 


134 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


ECCE    HOMO    ARCH. 


wandering  on  down  the  Kedron  Valley  to  the  Pool  of  Siloam, 
bathing  your  eyes  in  its  limpid  waters,  that  they  may  never  ache 
again ;  and  sweeping  round  into  the  valley  of  Ilinnom ;  climb- 
ing up  to  Aceldama,  on  the  slopes  of  the  Mount  of  Evil  Coun- 
sel, the  very  "  field  of  blood  "  purchased  with  the  thirty  pieces 
of  silver  Judas  received  for  the  betrayal  of  his  Lord ;  and  on 
up  the  steep  sides  of  Zion,  to  its  highest  summit ;  resting  for  a 
few  minutes  in  the  upper-room  where  it  is  said  the  disciples 
were  assembled  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  poured  out  upon  them ;  and  from  thence  through  the  gate 


A    WALK    ABOUT    ZION. 


135 


of  Zion,  back  to  your  hotel  for  breakfast  by  eight  o'clock. 
Conld  any  thing  be  more  delighful  than  snch  a  morning  walk  ? 
You  can  live  more  in  one  year  here  than  in  a  life-time  anywhere 
else  in  all  the  world.  And,  what  is  remarkable,  these  places 
never  lose  their  interest.     The  whole  land  seems  to  l)renthe  an 


LEDRON    VALLKY. 


inspiration,  and  every  object  recalls  some  event  in  Scripture,  or 
serves  to  illustrate  some  of  our  Lord's  narratives  or  parables. 
The  sparrow  that  chiii^s  in  your  window  recalls  the  Saviour's 
discourse  on  a  special  providence,  and  you  can  almost  imagine 
you  hear  him  say,  "  Are  ye  not  of  more  value  than  many  spar- 
rows ? "     The  lilies  that  bloom  in  the  valley  forcibly  remind 


136 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


US  of  Lis  beautiful  lessons  of  humility,  meekness,  and  faith. 
And  the  lepers  sitting  by  the  way-side,  the  fig-tree  putting  forth 
its  leaves,  the  shepherds  watching  their  flocks,  the  women 
grinding  at  the  mill,  the  men  praying  on  the  house-top,  and 
"■  the  hyssop  that  springeth  out  of  the  M-alls,"  all  impress  us 
with  the  truthfulness  of  the  inspired  record. 


And  is  it  not  refreshing  in  these  latter  days,  when  a  class  of 
skeptics  called  men  of  science  are  trying  to  discredit  revelation  by 
attributing  every  miracle  to  natural  causes,  and  treating  as  mere 
Oriental  legends  every  narrative  and  divine  truth  they  can't  ex- 
plain away  by  human  reasoning,  to  find  some  old  landmarks 
that  fully  corroborate  the  sacred  record,  and  estabhsh  beyond 
controversy  the  credibility  of  the  Scriptures  ? 

The  P)ible  was  not  written  as  a  book  of  science,  but  as  a  rev- 


IDENTITY  OF  THE  HOLY  PLACES.         137 

elation  bearing  upon  man's  moral  character  and  destiny.  Sci- 
entists should  confine  their  researches  to  the  natural  world.  It 
is  assumption  for  them  to  invade  the  spiritual,  and  treat  as 
"  cunningly  devised  fables  "  every  thing  they  cannot  compre- 
hend. The  great  truths  of  religion  are  to  be  received  by  faith, 
and  that  which  is  susceptible  of  demonstration  can  never  be  an 
object  of  faith.  "  If  any  man  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of 
the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God." ' 

Many  visit  the  Holy  Land  with  the  evident  intent  of  throw- 
ing discredit  on  every  thing  sacred.  One  author  writes :  "  1 
like  to  feel  assured  that  aU  these  localities  are  fabulous  and 
apocryphal ; "  another  facetiously  remarks  in  reference  to  the 
tombs  of  the  patriarchs,  "  I  don't  know  and  don't  care  where 
they  are  buried ; "  also  in  speaking  of  the  place  of  our  Saviour's 
birth,  death,  and  resurrection,  many,  without  investigating  the 
subject,  indulge  in  the  expressions  "  purely  fabulous,  unmiti- 
gated fictions,"  "  nothing  but  lying  legends."  And  yet  there 
never  has  been  and  never  can  be  one  sound  argument  offered 
against  the  verity  of  these  places.  Not  only  the  Bible,  but  all 
history,  sacred  and  profane,  backed  by  the  traditions  of  eighteen 
hundred  years,  and  supported  by  all  modern  explorations  and 
scientific  researches  fix  the  location  of  these  events  on,  or  very 
near,  the  precise  spot  where  they  are  pointed  out.  The  identity 
of  the  Coliseum  at  Rome,  or  the  Parthenon  at  Athens,  cannot 
be  more  clearly  established  than  that  of  the  temple  of  Solo- 
mon, the  inn  of  Bethlehem,  or  the  tomb  of  Christ. 

We  greatly  deplore  that  these  holy  places  have  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  ignorant,  unprincipled  priests  and  monks,  who 
practice  all  kinds  of  deception  on  the  credulous,  and  abuse 
their  oflice  by  making  merchandise  of  sacred  things.      Still, 

'  John  vii,  17. 


138 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


this  does  not  affect  the  truth,  and  we  are  not  to  reject  the  real 
because  superstition  has  invested  it  with  ridiculous  absurdities 
and  falsehoods.  Some  argue  that  our  Lord  designedly  blotted 
out  every  trace  of  his  presence  when  on  earth,  and  that  the 
world  was  never  to  know  where  the  great  events  of  his  history 
transpired.      But  why?      ^Ve  see   his  foot-prints  in  creation, 


GETHSEMANE    AND    OLIVET. 

why  not  in  redemption  ?  Wliy  tell  us  where  he  was  born— all 
the  circumstances  of  his  life ;  the  river  in  which  he  was  bap- 
tized ;  the  name  of  the  city  where  he  lived  ;  the  locality  of  the 
miracles  he  wrought :  the  garden  in  which  he  was  betrayed ; 
the  palace  of  the  high-priest  before  whom  he  was  arraigned  ; 
the  king  before  whom  he  was  tried ;  the  place  where  he  was 
crucified,  and  all  the  particulars  of  his  burial,  resurrection,  and 


RESULTS    OF    SCIENTIFIO   LNTESTIGATION.  139 

ascension,  if  no  trace  of  these  events  was  ever  afterward  to  be 
discovered  ? 

Dr.  Robinson,  in  his  researches,  established  it  as  a  rule,  "  that 
no  traditional  information  was  of  any  authority."  Yet  many 
of  these  traditions  are  of  undoubted  antiquity,  and  must  have 
originated  in  facts.  And  we  hold  that  the  identity  of  the 
places  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures  constitute  a  strong  collateral 
argument  in  support  of  their  authenticity ;  that  the  land  should 
be  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  book — the  one  the  exponent 
of  the  other. 

The  Bible  gives  an  unvarnished  statement  of  certain  facts, 
covering  a  period  of  many  centuries,  and  is  particular  in  giving 
names,  dates,  location,  and  all  the  details  of  the  events  as  they 
transpired.  Now,  if  these  events  actually  occurred,  there 
should  be  some  traces  of  them  left  in  the  topography  of  the 
country,  and  in  the  language,  manners,  traditions,  and  social 
condition  of  the  people ;  otherwise  we  would  have  reason  to 
doubt  the  record,  and  every  inquirer  after  truth  visiting  these 
localities  should  carefully  weigh  and  examine  for  himself  the 
external  evidence  they  furnish  in  support  of  the  facts. 

What  is  the  result  of  recent  scientific  investigation  ?  I  am 
happy  to  say  that  all  researches  in  Palestine  fully  agree  with 
the  facts,  and  establish  beyond  doubt  the  inspired  record ;  and, 
what  is  very  remarkable,  almost  every  place  mentioned  in  the 
Bible  where  any  great  event  transpired  may  still  be  identified 
by  its  old  Hebrew  name  in  the  Arabic  form — a  most  wonderful 
philological  argument  in  support  of  the  record.  Lieut.  Lynch 
and  Captain  Warren,  in  their  explorations,  have  brought  to  hght 
arguments  that  must  forever  silence  the  objections  of  infidehty. 
The  discovery  of  the  Moabite  stone  in  1868 — the  oldest  alpha- 
betic inscription  known — furnishes  a  lost  chapter  in  the  history 


140  BIBLE   LANDS. 

of  our  race,  agreeing  exactly  with  the  word  of  God ;  and 
the  late  exploration  of  the  Desert  of  Tih,  or  "  "Wilderness  of 
the  "Wanderings,"  by  Messrs.  Palmer  and  Drake,  has  resulted 
not  only  in  tracing  out  the  route  of  the  Israehtes,  but  in  locat- 
ing many  of  their  encampments  in  the  desert.'  Even  the  old 
Pharaohs  of  Egypt  are  coming  forth  from  their  dusty  tombs 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  what  Moses  wrote  more  than 
three  thousand  years  ago.  The  Bible  is  every-where  found — 
written  on  the  very  rocks,  amid  the  ruins  of  the  past,  and  in 
the  language,  customs,  and  present  condition  of  the  country. 
Such  biblical  names  as  Abraham, , Jacob,  Moses,  Esau  and 
Joseph,  prevail  all  over  the  East ;  and  there  is  scarcely  a  wild 
Bedouin  of  the  desert  but  will  correctly  point  out  to  the  trav- 
eler Mount  Nebo,  Hor,  Sinai,  and  the  site  of  almost  every  city 
mentioned  in  the  Bible,  and  relate  the  principal  events  connect- 
ed therewith.  Names  and  places  rarely  change  in  the  Orient, 
and  great  events  are  never  forgotten.  True,  the  wars,  storms, 
and  earthquakes  of  two  thousand  years  have  wrought  many 
physical,  moral,  and  political  changes,  but  they  have  not  de- 
stroyed the  old  landmarks.  There  is  also  much  of  the  tradi- 
tional and  superstitious  mingled  with  the  real.  Still,  the 
mountains  and  valleys,  lakes  and  rivers,  birds  and  flowers, 
remain  much  the  same,  and  the  inquirer  after  truth  will  find 
the  Scriptures  every-where  written  on  the  very  face  of  the 
Holy  Land. 

Facts  are  stubborn  things  to  resist,  and  geographical  facts 
most  stubborn  of  all ;  but  there  is  no  conflict  here  with  Reve- 
lation. The  plains  of  Moreh  and  Mamre,  where  Abraham 
first  pitched  his  tent  and  erected  his  altar  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  remain  as  they  were  four  thousand  years  ago.     The 

>  The  Desert  of  the  Exodus,  pp.  25,  27. 


EESULTS    OF    SCIENTIFIC    INVESTIGATION". 


141 


descendants  of  his  son,  Ishmael,  are  wild  men  still,  as  uncivil- 
ized to-day  as  thej  ever  were.  Machpelali,  the  resting-jjlace 
of  the  patriarchs,  has  never  been  disturbed,  and  remains  very 
much  as  when  Abraham  purchased  it  from  Ephron  the  Hittite, 
and  laid  in  its  vault  his  beloved  Sarah.     Mounts  Zion,  Hermon, 


^^^^ 


_s^ 


CHURCH  OF  THE  ASCENSION. 


and  Moriah,  Pisgah,  Tabor,  and  Olivet  still  stand  upon  their 
firm  foundations,  beautiful  symbols  of  God's  unchanging  love. 
Jerusalem,  though  frequently  demolished,  has  never  been  en- 
tirely destroyed.  Dig  down  anywhere  within  the  old  walls,  and 
you  will  come  upon  streets  beautifully  paved,  grand  archways, 
deep  cisterns,  immense  columns,  secret  stair-cases,  and  long 
galleries  cut  through  the  solid  rock,   connecting  the  temple 


142  BIBLE    I^VI^DS. 

inclosure  with  distant  fountains,  and  the  Tower  of  Antonia 
with  the  citadel  on  Mount  Zion — really  wonderful  to  behold. 

As  to  the  identity  of  the  valley  of  Hinnom  and  the  Kedi'on, 
the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  Jordan,  no  question  can  be  raised. 
So  with  the  well  of  Jacob,  the  pool  of  Siloain,  and  the  tomb  of 
Rachel.  Some  doubts  have  been  expressed  as  to  the  exact  site 
of  the  Saviour's  agony,  death,  and  ascension  ;  but  you  feel  when 
visiting  the  places  designated  as  such  that  you  are  not  far  from 
the  precise  localities. 

Any  one  visiting  the  Yalley  of  the  Dead  Sea,  though  he  had 
never  seen  a  Bible — never  heard  of  the  overthrow  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah — would  be  able  to  read  the  whole  account  of 
God's  terrible  judgments  which  destroyed  the  cities  of  the 
plain  written  upon  the  scathed  rocks  and  desolate  mountains 
which  wall  in  that  dismal  gulf — fit  emblem  of  the  lake  of  fire. 

And  the  stranger  from  afar,  who  never  heard  of  Solomon's 
gorgeous  Temple,  standing  on  Moriah,  seeing  the  massiveness 
and  height  of  the  walls  inclosing  the  sacred  rock,  exploring 
the  great  sea  and  other  subterranean  cisterns  and  vaults  that 
underlie  the  whole  vast  area,  examining  the  numerous  beauti- 
ful gate-ways,  broken  columns,  and  arches  of  a  remote  antiquity, 
and  the  grand  system  of  aqueducts  that  supplied  the  place  with 
pure  water  from  mountain  springs  twenty  and  forty  miles  dis- 
tant, would  soon  be  persuaded  that  the  high  platform  on  which 
he  stood  must  at  one  time  have  been  the  site  of  some  grand 
temple  of  worship.  And  every  reader  of  the  Bible  would  be 
convinced  that  the  rock  beneath  the  dome  of  the  Mosque  of 
Omar  could  be  none  other  than  "  the  thi'eshing-floor  of  Arau- 
nah,"  where  Abraham  built  his  altar  for  the  sacrifice  of  his 
son,  and  over  which  in  after  years  the  magnificent  Temple  of 
Solomon  was  erected. 


THE    EXDUKIXCt    WOKi). 


148 


The  same  is  true  of  the  Grotto  of  the  Nativity  at  Bethle- 
hem, the  tomb  of  Christ  in  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher, 
and  many  other  places  hallowed  by  the  presence  of  Jesus. 
They  all  agree  with  the  accounts  as  given  by  the  evangelists, 
and  no  one,  after  carefully  examining  the  localities,  can  qr.es- 
tion  the  fact  that  they  are  in  exact  accord  with  the  Bible  nar- 
rative. 


VAULTS    UNDER    THE    TEMPLE  PLATFORM. 


Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  all  explored  and  identified  localities 
are  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  narrative  of  sacred  history ; 
and  the  imagery  of  the  Bible  also  wonderfully  corresponds 
with  the  natural  features,  productions,  and  customs  of  the  coun- 
try. The  natives  still  plow,  sow,  and  reap  as  of  old ;  the  soil 
still  retains  its  fertility ;  the  streams  still  swarm  with  fish , 
lilies  still  bloom  in  the  valleys ;  birds  still  lodge  in  the  branches 


144 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


of  the  mustard  tree  ;  and  every  thing  mentioned  in  the  inspired 
volume  agrees  remarkably  with  the  present  state  and  condi- 
tion of  the  land.  There  are  no  discrepancies  between  the  geo- 
graphical statements  of  the  Bible  and  existing  facts,  or  the  to- 
pograj)hy  of  the  country.  All  discoveries  and  researches  not 
only  elucidate  the  Scriptures,  but  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of 
Revelation. 

Further  investigations  will,  no  doubt,  establish  the  locality  of 
other  places,  until  all  skepticism  as  to  the  verity  of  the  Script- 
ures has  been  removed,  and  the  truth  of  God's  word  is  estab- 
lished forever. 


WALL    Uf    JKKLtiALKil. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MORIAH ^THE  MOUNTArN"  OF  THE  LORD's  HOUSE. 

scene  of  Abraham's  offering — Threshing-floor  of  Araunah — Site  of  Solomon's  Tem- 
ple— Rock  of  Foundation — Destroyed  by  the  Romans — Remains  of  the  Noble 
Sanctuary — Mosque  of  Omar — Reflections — Mosque  el  Aksa — Mohammedan 
Legends. 

THE  most  memorable  spot  on  earth,  and  the  only  spot  hon- 
ored of  God  through  long  ages  as  the  "  habitation  of  his 
holiness,"  is  Mount  Moriah,  where,  as  is  generally  believed, 
Melchizedek,  King  of  Salem,  officiated  as  "priest  of  the  most 
high  God,"  and  Solomon  in  after  years  erected  the  first  tem- 
ple ever  built  with  hands  for  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  on  the 
spot,  as  we  learn  from  Josephus,  where  Abraham  reared  his 
altar  for  the  sacrifice  of  his  only  son. 

It  is  one  of  the  four  moimtains  on  which  Jerusalem  is  sit- 
uated, separated  from  Zion  on  the  west  by  the  Tyropoeon  valley,' 
and  from  Olivet  on  the  east  by  the  vaUey  of  Jehoshaphat ; 
and  beyond  doubt  is  "  the  threshing-floor  of  Araunah,"  bought 
by  David  of  Oman  the  Jebusite,  and  where  he  "offered  his 
burnt-offerings  imto  the  Lord,"  when  the  destroying  angel 
stood  with  di-awn  sword  over  the  plague-stricken  city. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  attempt  any  description  of  the 

"  House  of  the  Lord,"  as  it  appeared  in  aU  its  glory  wheu 

the  Eternal  God  honored  it  with  his  presence,  but  to  fix,  if 

possible,  its  precise  location,  and  furnish  some  additional  fai;ts 

corroborating  the  scriptural  account  of  this  unrivaled  structure. 

The  mural  and  other  remains  on  this  mount  are  of  such  a 

character,  and  the  topography  of  the  place  agrees  so  fully  with 
10  '  145 


146 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


the  inspired  record,  as  to  forbid  any  controversy  touching  its 
identity  as  Moriah. 

The  predictions  of  Christ  in  regard  to  the  Temple  itself 
have  been  hterally  fulfilled— "  not  one  stone  left  upon  an- 
other," '  all  above  ground  "  thrown  down."     There  are,  how- 


r^^ 


.^: 


ever,  on  and  around  the  mountain,  traces  left  of  the  extent  and 
grandeur  of  the  buildings  which  once  adorned  its  crest.  Mass- 
ive walls,  grand  bridges,  beautiful  gate-ways,  and  other  remains 
of  the  Temple  and  its  courts,  clearly  indicating  its  outlines.  We 
also  find  here  vast  reservoirs  supphed  by  aqueducts  leading  off 

'  Matthew  xxiv,  2. 


IIAiLUI    IXCLOtiUKE. 


U7 


to  mountain  springs  thirty  miles  distant ;  secret  passages,  wide 
enough  for  three  men  to  walk  abreast,  cut  through  the  hard 
solid  rock  connecting  the  Temple  with  the  Citadel  on  Mount 
Zionhalf  a  mile  distant;  and  other  subterranean  rock-hewn  gal- 
leries, leading  down  to  Joab's  well  and  beyond,  a  hundred  feet 
below  the  surface,  together  with  large  seM-ers  to  convey  the 
blood  and  washings  of  the  great  altar  into  the  Kedron  valley. 
Even  the  private  staircases  that  went  under  the  Temple,  by 


GREAT    SCBTEURASEAN    SEA. 


which  the  priests,  unobserved,  could  enter  or  retire,  and  which 
led  to  their  baths,  may  still  be  seen.  Much  of  the  old  material, 
such  as  fragments  of  sculpture,  rare  marbles,  and  beautiful 
columns  found  in  the  Mosque  of  Omar,  Church  of  the  Holy 
Sepulcher,  and  other  more  modern  buildings,  without  doubt 
belonged  to  the  Temple  and  its  cloisters.  There  are,  also, 
under  the  platform,  great  vaults  and  cisterns,  secret  doors  and 
mysterious  passages,  which  were  evidently  connected  with  the 


148  BIBLE   LANDS. 

Holj  Sanctuary ;  and  all  the  outer  wall  up  to  the  present  sur- 
face uf  the  ground,  which  inclosed  the  courts  of  the  Lord's 
House,  is  still  standing,  with  its  gates,  towers,  and  immense 
stones,  beautifully  beveled  and  laid  in  regular  courses,  with  the 
marks  of  the  Phoenician  masons  still  upon  them,  just  as  they 
were  laid  by  Hiram's  builders.  This  wall  is  almost  a  mile  in 
extent,  and  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  high,  but 
mostly  covered  up  with  debris.  It  gradually  inclines,  inwardly, 
each  course  of  stones  above  the  foundation  dropping  back  about 
three  inches.  The  lower  courses  not  only  rest  upon  the  Kving 
rock,  but  are  anchored  with  lead  and  iron  to  the  mountain  it- 
self, and  the  storms  and  earthquakes  of  centm-ies  have  failed  to 
move  them  from  theii*  firm  foundation. 

The  stones  are  from  ten  to  forty  feet  long,  with  a  face 
from  four  to  six  feet,  and  a  depth  somewhat  greater.  And  yet 
these  ponderous  blocks  are  cut  and  fitted  with  so  much  pre- 
cision, that  after  the  lapse  of  three  thousand  years  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  discover  the  seams  where  they  are  joined  together. 
There  is  no  such  piece  of  workmanship  in  Kome,  Greece,  or 
Egypt.  There  were  no  chppings  discovered,  except  where  the 
natm-al  rock  was  cut  away  to  receive  the  lower  course,  showing 
that  the  stones  were  all  dressed  before  brought  upon  the  ground ; 
and  under  the  city,  just  north  of  the  temple  inclosure,  may 
stiU  be  seen  the  extensive  quarries  where  most  of  the  material 
was  obtained.'  The  city  wall  ran  outside  of  this  one,  sections 
of  which  are  standing  seventy  feet  high  and  fifteen  thick,  en- 
tu*ely  buried  with  rubbish. 

'  These  quarries,  known  as  the  Royal  Caverns,  are  vast  subterranean  excavations 
under  Mount  Akra.  You  enter  them  near  the  Damascus  Gate,  and  can  stroll  for 
hours  from  hall  to  hall,  and  see  how  every  stone  was  quarried,  the  tools  used,  and 
how  the  blocks  were  broken  from  their  natural  beds  by  the  expansion  of  wooden 
wedges,  before  the  age  of  gunpowder  or  other  modern  appliances. 


^lllliiiilll:^I!l|l!'i^-i:'l^iii'illlii'4iii^^^ 


THE  "STONE  OF  FOUNDATION."  151 

The  Temple  area  is  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  one  feet 
long  bj  one  thousand  and  forty-two  wide,  ahnost  double  ita 
original  dimensions,  and  probably  as  enlarged  by  Herod  the 
Great,  and  the  same  as  when  Christ  walked  through  its  courts. 
The  site  of  the  Lord's  house  was  connected  with  Solomon's 
palace  and  the  city  of  David  on  Mount  Zion  by  a  magnificent 
stone  bridge  over  the  Tyropoeon  vaFDy,  three  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  long,  fifty  wide,  and  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  high,  the 
remains  of  which  may  be  seen  in  the  engraving,  as  discovered 
by  Dr.  Robinson. 

Near  the  center  of  the  temple  inclosure  is  a  raised  platform 
five  hundred  and  fifty  by  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  fif- 
teen high,  paved  with  mai'ble,  the  slabs  resting  on  the  native 
rock.  This  is  considered  holy  ground,  and  all  visitors  are  here 
required  to  remove  their  shoes,  as  no  unholy  feet  are  allowed 
to  tread  this  marble  floor.  In  the  center  of  this  platform  a 
iiuge  irregular  piece  of  the  natural  limestone  rock,  perhaps 
fifty  feet  in  diameter  and  six  feet  above  the  pavement,  crops 
out  of  the  mountain  top,  inclosed  with  a  railing  tipped  with 
gold,  lest  the  polluted  hand  of  man  should  touch  it.  This  rock, 
known  as  the  Sakhra,  according  to  the  Rabbinical  writers  is  the 
"  Stone  of  Foundation  " — the  first  work  of  creation,  next  the 
Temple  in  point  of  sacredness,  and  round  which  the  world  was 
formed.  Hence  the  legend  of  this  being  the  world's  center, 
and  Mount  Zion  the  holiest  spot  on  earth  and  the  perfection 
of  beauty.  It  will  be  remembered  that  David  first  brought  the 
Ark  of  the  Covenant  to  Mount  Zion,  and  when  it  was  removed 
to  the  Temple  after  its  completion  the  name  of  Zion  was  trans- 
ferred with  the  Ark  to  Moriah,  which  will  account  for  this 
mountain  being  frequently  called  Zion. 

It  is  expressly  stated  in  the  Talmud  that  the  Ark  of  the 


152 


BIBLE    LAXDS. 


Covenant  stood  npon  the  ''Stone  of  Foundation."  It  is  also 
stated  that  David,  in  digging  the  foundation  for  the  Temple, 
came  upon  this  stone  over  the  mouth  of  the  abyss,  with  the 
ineffable  name  of  God  inscribed  upon  it.  This  stone  and  the 
toj)Ography  of  the  Temple  area  are  then  to  determine  the  site 
of  the  Lord's  house,  with  its  altars,  courts  and  other  append- 


NOBLE    CAVE,   UNDER    DOME    OF    THE    ROCK. 


ages.  From  the  Talmudic  account  we  learn  that  the  "  Stone 
of  Foundation "  was  the  solid  rock  and  highest  point  of  the 
mountain,  projecting  slightly  above  the  floor  of  the  Holy  of 
Holies,  and  that  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  rested  upon  it ;  that 
from  this  rock  steps  led  down  to  the  floor  of  the  Temple,  which 
stood  on  a  solid  platform  six  cubits  above  the  general  level  of 
the  mountain,  and  that  the  platform  extended  all  round  the 


THE  AEK   OF  THE   COVENANT.  153 

house,  with  steps  on  the  eastern  front  leading  down  to  a  stiL 
lower  court.  The  position  of  the  Sakhra  is  precisely  that  indi- 
cated in  the  Talmud,  and  is  the  only  spot  in  the  inclosure  that 
meets  all  the  requirements.  Locate  the  center  of  the  Holy  of 
Holies  on  the  center  of  this  rock,  and  it  agrees  in  a  wonderfui 
manner  with  every  point  and  measurement  as  given  by  the 
Jewish  Rabbis.  And,  what  is  still  more  surprising,  with  the 
Temple  located  here,  a  line  drawn  through  the  center  from 
east  to  west  would  intersect  the  top  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  at 
the  very  point  the  red  heifer  is  supposed  to  have  been  sacri- 
ficed, and  a  person  standing  on  Olivet  at  that  point  can  look 
straight  over  the  wall,  through  the  dome  of  David's  judgment- 
seat,  and  the  eastern  door  of  the  Mosque  of  Omar,  and  see  a 
light  burning  on  the  rock. 

This  platform  was  probably  "  the  threshing-floor  of  Oman," 
and  the  large  grotto  under  the  rock,  the  cave  where  he  and  his 
four  sons  hid  themselves  from  the  angel  of  the  Lord.'  Isaiah 
appears  to  refer  to  this  same  stone  in  the  passage,  "  Behold,  I 
lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious 
comer-stone."  *  It  is  also  figuratively  applied  to  Christ,  who  is 
represented  as  the  "  Rock  of  our  salvation,"  and  "  chief  Comer- 
stone." 

The  Temple  constructed  by  Solomon,  B.  C.  1011,  out  of  the 
materials  collected  by  David,  and  after  the  model  furnished  by 
divine  Wisdom,  was  only  haK  the  dimensions  of  Herod's,  but 
greatly  excelled  it  in  its  richer  decorations,  and  in  having  the 
real  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  with  the  Mercy-seat  and  Shekinah, 
and  Urim  and  Thummim,  which  the  second  Temple  did  not 
have ;  and  yet  "  the  glory  of  this  latter  house  was  greater  than 
the  former,"  being  honored  with  the  Saviour's  personal  presence, 

'  1  Chronicles  xxi,  20.  *  Isaiah  rxviii,  16. 


154  BIBLE   LANDS. 

who  worshiped  in  its  courts,  and  officiated  as  our  Great  High- 
priest  at  its  altar. 

The  dedication  of  the  first  Temple  was  a  memorable  event 
in  the  history  of  God's  chosen  people.  The  vast  congregation 
of  Israel,  the  earnest  prayer  of  Solomon,  the  kindling  of  the 
holy  fire  upon  the  altar,  and  the  cloud  of  glory  which  filled 
the  house,  rendered  it  an  occasion  never  to  be  forgotten.  This 
splendid  edifice,  after  standing  four  hundred  and  twenty-four 
years,  was  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  most  of  its  wealth 
carried  with  the  Jews  to  Babylon.  But  no  mention  is  made 
of  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  being  taken,  and  many  believe  it 
was  concealed  in  some  of  the  subterranean  vaults  of  the  Temple. 
Tradition  says  Jeremiah  hid  it  in  a  cave,'  and  as  neither  the 
gold  nor  stone  slabs  would  decay,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  sup 
pose  it  may  yet  be  found  with  the  tables  of  the  law.  What  a 
discovery  that  would  be ! 

The  ark  was  not  in  the  second  Temple,  so  could  not  have 
been  among  the  trophies  carried  to  Rome,  and  in  proof  of  this 
it  is  not  represented  in  the  sculpture  on  the  Arch  of  Titus  with 
the  other  articles  of  the  noble  sanctuary. 

After  the  captivity,  and  sixty-nine  years  ufter  the  destruction 
of  the  first  Temple,  the  house  of  the  Lord  was  rebuilt  on  the 
same  site  by  Zerubbabel,  and  one  of  the  most  interesting  dis- 
coveries lately  made  was  the  finding,  just  outside  the  double 
gate,  on  Ophel,  of  Haggai's  seal,  the  prophet  divinely  commis- 
sioned, five  hundred  and  fifty  years  before  Christ,  to  have  the 
^,^rf^=S>^^     Lord's  house   restored.     How  strange,  to   pick 
JT^^      J]  up  a  private  seal  after  so  many  years !  perhaps 
V^^v^l^^  dropped  by  its  owner  when  superintending  the 
HAGGAI'S  SEAL,  buildjug  of  thc   second  Temple.     This  house, 

I  2  Maccabees  ii,  6. 


A'. 


I'*!/, 


n 


?/"■,  ' 


Jill  III  I  iii5izgta!ffii;a:g 


MOSQUE    OF    OMAR.  157 

afterward  greatly  enlarged  and  beautified  by  Herod,  was  finally 
destroyed  by  the  Romans  under  Titus,  A.  D,  70.  The  founda- 
tions and  portions  of  the  walls  of  Solomon's  Temple  were,  no 
doubt,  used  in  the  construction  of  the  other,  as  they  are  fre- 
quently spoken  of  as  the  same  temple,  and  the  holy  place  was 
probably  the  same  in  both,  as  was  also  the  magnificent  Ponih 
of  Solomon,  overlooking  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat. 

After  the  conquest  of  the  country  by  the  Mohammedans,  one 
of  the  first  acts  of  Calif  Omar  was  to  build  a  splendid  mosque, 
known  as  the  "  Dome  of  the  Rock,"  on  the  site  of  Jehovah's 
Temple.  This  edifice,  afterward  beautified  by  Cahf  Abd  el  Mar- 
wan,  still  crowns  the  summit  of  Moriah,  and  the  place  is  re- 
garded by  the  Moslems  as  only  second  to  Mecca  in  point  of  in- 
terest, as  Mohammed  is  said  to  have  ascended  to  heaven  from 
here.  The  mosque  is  an  octagonal  building,  five  hundred  and 
thirty-six  feet  in  circumference,  surmounted  with  a  graceful 
dome  supported  by  twelve  exquisite  antique  marble  and  por- 
phyry columns.  Covering,  as  it  does,  simply  this  naked  rock, 
so  sacred  in  its  associations  to  Jew,  Christian,  and  Mohammed- 
an, nothing  could  be  more  appropriate  or  grand.  It  is  much 
finer  than  St.  Sophia,  at  Constantinople,  or  St.  Mark's,  at 
Venice ;  has  no  rival  for  grace  or  sanctity,  and  its  peculiar  shape 
is  the  only  reason  it  has  not  been  more  extensively  copied ;  but 
as  a  shrine  for  the  "  rock  of  ages  "  it  is  perfectly  beautiful,  and 
when  the  sunshine  streams  through  its  fifty-six  gorgeous  win- 
dows, its  golden  mosaics  seem  to  kindle  up  with  a  divine  fire, 
rendering  the  spot  truly  glorious.  The  building  is  encased  on 
the  outside  with  encaustic  tiling  and  colored  marble ;  within,  it 
is  golden  arabesque  and  mosaic,  very  rich,  with  passages  from 
the  Koran  every-where  inserted  in  the  walls.  And,  what  is  re- 
markable, no  reference  is  made  in  the  inscriptions  to  David, 


158 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


Solomon,  or  Moliammed,  but  the  name  of  "  Jesus,  tlie  son  of 
Mary,"  is  mentioned  four  times.  Is  this  proplietic  of  it  becom- 
ing some  day  a  Christian  clmrch  ? 

The  profound  repose  and  death-Hke  silence  of  this  Temj)le  is 
in  keeping  with  the  sacredness  of  the  place,  for  here  alone  in 
all  the  earth  was  the  only  living  and  true  God  worshiped 
throughout  long  ages !  When  Greece  was  ignorant  of  God, 
and  Rome  had  "  changed  the  glory  of  the  Incorruptible  into 


MOSQUE  OF    EL   AKSA. 


an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,"  the  descendants  of 
Abraham  on  this  mount  and  in  this  place  still  preserved  the 
writings  of  Moses,  and  the  worshi23  of  the  one  true  and  only 
God.  It  was  here  Solomon  erected  his  beautiful  Temple  ;  here 
through  long  centuries  the  daily  sacrifice  was  offered,  and  God 
manifested  himself  to  his  people  in  the  mysterious  Shekinah 
as  nowhere  else  on  the  earth ;  here  first  were  sung  those  stir- 


BEFLECTIONS.  159 

ring  psalms  of  David  which  ever  since  have  been  ascending 
like  incense  from  earth  to  heaven.  Toward  this  spot  God's 
people  in  every  age,  and  in  every  land,  have  turned  their  faces 
when  they  prayed ;  and  it  was  here  the  Great  Teacher  himself 
taught  his  disciples,  wrought  his  miracles,  and  near  by,  on  Cal- 
vary, a  spur  of  the  same  mountain,  as  the  "  Lamb  of  God,"  was 
sacrificed  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  Surely,  "This  is  none 
other  but  the  house  of  God  and  the  gate  of  heaven." 

At  the  southern  end  of  the  Haram  inclosure,  along  which 
Herod's  grand  cloister  extended,  is  the  Mosque  el  Aksa,  generally 
supposed  to  be  the  Church  of  the  Virgin,  built  by  Justinian  in 
the  sixth  century.  It  is  a  large  edifice,  and  contains  some  beau- 
tiful mosaic  work  and  rare  marble  columns,  many  of  them  now 
plastered  over.  During  the  occupancy  of  the  city  by  the  Cru- 
saders, Baldwin  II.  assigned  this  church  to  a  new  order  of 
knights,  who  from  this  circumstance  were  called  Knight 
Templars,  their  ofiice  being  to  guard  the  holy  mount.  Near 
the  entrance  to  this  mosque  are  the  reputed  tombs  of  Aaron's 
sons,  and  a  few  steps  to  the  left,  "  The  Well  of  the  Leaf,"  or 
entrance  to  Paradise,  according  to  Mohammedan  tradition  ;  and 
at  the  further  end  two  marble  columns,  standing  about  eight 
inches  apart,  called  the  "  gate-posts  to  heaven,"  as  the  Moslems 
beHeve  no  one  can  enter  Paradise  without  first  passing  between 
these  pillars.  Ilaving  always  had  some  misgivings  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  concluded  to  settle  the  question  at  once,  so,  buttoning 
tightly  my  coat,  made  the  effort,  and  by  hard  squeezing  succeed- 
ed, feeling  very  comfortable  over  the  matter.  There  was,  how- 
ever, a  lady  with  me,  and  she  must  needs  try  ;  and  try  she  did, 
but  failed,  and  again  and  again  she  tried,  and  as  often  failed. 
So  we  came  away  feeling  quite  sad,  she  at  her  failure,  I  at  the 
thought  of  going  to  heaven  without  my  wife. 


CHAPTER  V. 

GOLGOTHA  AND  TOMB  OF  CHRIST. 

Ai'yimt  Calvary — Traditional  Tomb  of  Christ — Arguments  in  Favor— Church  of  the 
Holy  Sepulcher — Constantine's  Basilica — Adam's  Grave — Late  Discoveries. 

r  pWO  of  the  most  hallowed  spots  ou  earth,  round  which  clus- 
J-  ter  our  brightest  hopes,  are  Golgotha  and  the  tomb  in 
which  it  is  claimed  the  body  of  Jesus  once  lay.  To  identify 
these  places  after  so  long  a  time  is  no  easy  task,  as  all  we  know 
m  reference  to  their  location  from  the  Scriptures  is,  that  they 
were  near  each  other  "  without  the  gate,"  and  "  nigh  to  the 
city." 

When  Constantino  the  Great  embraced  Christianity,  feehng 
moved  to  do  something  in  honor  of  his  divine  Master,  he  caused 
to  be  erected  over  the  then  supposed  sites  of  our  Lord's  pas- 
sion and  burial,  magnificent  churches,  portions  of  which  still 
remain,  somewhat  changed  in  form,  being  all  now  under  one 
roof,  and  known  as  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher,  but 
covering  the  same  sites  as  Constantine's  "  House  of  Prayer " 
and  Grand  Basilica. 

This  venerable  edifice,  though  originally  designed  to  com- 
memorate but  the  two  great  events  of  the  Redeemer's  death 
and  resurrection,  has  been  greatly  abused  by  the  superstition 
of  mercenary  priests  and  monks  who  have  had  charge  of  it  for 
centuries,  introducing  other  objects  of  doubtful  propriety,  hav- 
ing no  connection  with  the  place,  and  practicing  all  kinds  of 
fraud  on  the  ignorant  and  credulous  pilgrims  who  visit  by  thou- 
sands this  ancient  church.  We  deplore  as  much  as  any  one  pos- 
160 


jaUiiCil    OF    Tllii    HOLY    SKl'L'LCUEK. 


TRADITIONAL    TOilB    OF    CUKIST.  163^ 

sibly  can  the  abuse  and  desecration  of  so  sacred  a  spot,  but  tliis 
has  notliing  to  do  with  the  identity  of  the  two  places  referred 
to,  which,  after  a  residence  of  several  years  in  Jerusalem,  and  a 
careful  investigation  of  its  topography  and  the  results  of  recent 
explorations,  we  are  almost  convinced  are  the  veritable  Gol- 
gotha where  Christ  was  cinicified,  and  the  rock-hewn  tomb 
from  wliich  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day  he  arose. 

As  so  much  has  been  written  upon  this  subject,  we  can  only 
present  a  resume  of  the  arguments  advanced  by  Mr.  Williams,  De 
Yogne,  and  others,  in  support  of  the  authenticity  of  the  sites. 
No  one  can  doubt  for  a  moment  that  the  early  disciples  and 
apostles  were  acquainted  with  the  place  of  their  Master's  death 
and  burial ;  and  many  of  those  who  were  with  him  on  his  tri- 
umphal entry  into  the  city,  and  who  saw  the  darkened  heavens 
at  his  crucifixion,  must  certainly  have  known  the  site  of  Gol- 
gotha. Within  a  few  weeks  of  these  remarkable  events,  after 
the  gift  of  the  Iloly  Ghost,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  there  were 
three  thousand  Christians  in  Jenisalem.  Others  were  daily 
added  to  their  number,  and  a  Church  organized  at  once,  of  which 
James,  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  two  years  later,  was  created 
first  Bishop  ;  and  from  that  period  down  to  the  completion  of 
Constantine's  Church  of  the  Resurrection,  A.  D.  335,  there 
was  never  a  time  when  there  was  not  a  Christian  community  in- 
the  city,  with  clergy,  membership,  and  all  the  ordinances  of  the 
Church.  And  can  any  one  suppose  that  during  this  period, 
when  the  religion  of  the  Cross  was  conquering  the  world,  and 
thousands  from  distant  lands  were  visiting  the  Iloly  City,  the 
locality  of  Calvary  and  the  tomb  of  Joseph  could  be  for- 
gotten? It  is  true,  during  the  siege  of  Titus  many  of  tho 
Christians  retired  to  Pella,  beyond  Jordan,  and  others  took  ref- 
uge in  the  caves  and  rock-tombs  along  the  Kedron  ;  there,  how 


164  BIBLE    LAND8. 

ever,  were  many  aged  and  sick  and  poor  who  remained  in  the 
city.  Eusebius  says  that  not  more  than  half  the  population  left, 
and  most  of  those  who  left  returned  immediately  after  the  siege 
was  raised ;  but  can  it  be  supposed  tliat  in  this  brief  interval  of 
less  than  live  months  the  place  before  all  others  dear  to  them 
would  be  lost  sight  of?  These  points  of  sacred  interest  were 
probably  so  well  known  to  Pagan,  Jew,  and  Christian,  that 
none  ever  called  them  in  question  any  more  than  Mount  Zion, 
Olivet,  or  Moriah,  and  the^  events  connected  with  them  by  this 
time  had  become  items  of  history,  fixing  beyond  controversy 
their  locality. 

According  to  Jerome,  Eusebius,  and  other  historians,  the  pa- 
gan Emperor  Iladrian,  who  ascended  the  throne  A.  D.  117,  as 
an  insult  to  the  Jews  and  Christians,  and  that  he  might  oblit- 
erate, as  far  as  possible,  all  traces  of  their  religion,  changed  the 
name  of  the  city  to  ^lia  Capitolina,  rebuilt  and  dedicated 
the  temple  on  Moriah  to  Jupiter,  and  raised  over  the  tomb  of 
Christ  a  mound  of  earth,  erecting  thereon  a  shrine  to  Venus. 

After  Constantine's  conversion  he  sent  his  mother,  Helena,  in 
A.  D.  325,  when  near  fourscore  yeiirs  old,  ou  a  visit  to  the  holy 
places,  and  when  she  reported  to  her  son  that  the  altar  of  Venus 
still  desecrated  the  site  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher,  the  Emperor  at 
once  wrote  to  Macarius,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  to  have  the  tem- 
ple of  Venus  and  mound  of  earth  removed,  and  to  build  upon 
the  spot,  at  the  expense  of  the  imperial  treasury,  a  grand 
Christian  church.  Portions  of  this  edifice  remain  to  the  present 
day,  and  its  very  cr}^t  is  still  used  as  a  cistern  by  the  Copts. 
In  this  imperial  order,  which  Eusebius  has  preserved,  no  doubt 
is  expressed  touching  the  site ;  no  search  is  to  be  made  for  the 
tomb ;  no  inquiry  instituted  in  reference  to  its  identity — that  is 
known  and  admitted  by  all ;  and  when  the  earth  was  removed 


CHURCH    OF    THE    HOLY    SEPULCHER. 


165 


in  presence  of  the  EmiDress  and  others,  tlie  cave  or  tomb  was 
found,  just  as  it  had  been  buried  two  centuries  before.  It  was, 
the  recovery  of  the  Sej^ulcher,  and  not,  as  some  suppose,  the  find- 
ing of  the  true  cross — an  invention  of  after  years — that  Con- 
stantine  regarded  as  so  "  miraculous ;"  and  it  was  in  celebration 
of  this  event,  and  as  a  memorial  of  the  passion   and  resurrec- 


TOMB   OF  CHRIST. 


tion  of  Christ,  that  he  erected  his  magnificent  Martyrium  or 
Basilica,  which  was  dedicated  with  great  pomp  in  the  year  335, 
in  presence  of  a  vast  assemblage  of  bishops  and  prelates  from 
every  province  in  the  Roman  Empire.  This  Church  was 
stripped  of  all  its  wealth,  and  partly  destroyed,  by  the  Persians 
A.  D.  614,  but  was  immediately  rebuilt  on  the  old  foundations. 
It  was  doomed  ao^ain  to  destruction  bv  the  Mohammedans  in. 


16G  BIBLE    LANDS. 

A.  D.  1010,  and  again  reconstructed  much  as  it  appears  to-day 
— tlie  fire  of  1808  not  changing  its  general  features. 

The  present  edifice  is  a  collection  of  chapels  three  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  long,  by  two  hundred  and  eighty  wide,  under  the 
same  roof.  The  Sepulcher  is  an  old  Jewish  tomb  in  the  center 
of  the  rotunda  of  the  Church,  encased  inside  and  out  with 
marble  from  four  to  six  inches  thick,  and  otherwise  richly 
decorated ;  but  beneath  this  marble  is  an  original  tomb,  about 
six  and  a  half  feet  square,  cut  in  the  native  lime-stone  rock. 
The  bench,  or  loculus  for  the  corpse,  is  on  the  right  hand 
of  the  entrance,  three  feet  wide  and  eighteen  inches  above  the 
floor,  covered  with  a  white  marble  slab.  The  door  is  not  over 
three  feet  high,  so  that  a  person  looking  in  would  have  to 
stoop  in  order  to  see  where  the  body  lay,  agreeing  in  ev^ery  par- 
ticular with  the  narrative ;  and  there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that 
this  is  the  tomb  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  once  lay. 

C}Til,  a  native  of  Palestine,  and  Bishop  of  Jerusalem  in  the 
year  350,  speaks  of  the  Sepulcher  and  rent  rocks  just  as  they 
now  appear.  All  the  fathers  of  the  Church  give  the  same 
testimony,  and  it  was  not  until  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century  that  a  doubt  was  even  expressed  touching  the  locality. 
And  why  doubt  the  verity  of  tliis  site  ?  Is  there  any  thing  un- 
probable  about  it  ?  Any  thing  unworthy  of  credit  in  the  uni- 
versal belief  of  the  Apostolic  Church  in  reference  to  this  spot  ? 
"Were  not  the  Christians  of  the  first  and  second  centuries  as 
capable  of  determining  this  matter  as  their  brethren  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  few  of  whom  have  ever  visited  the  place  ? 
The  country  under  the  Romans  was  carefully  surveyed,  and  a 
record  made  of  the  boundaries  of  every  field.  So  there  could 
have  been  no  difficulty  in  determining  the  precise  locality  of 
■Golgotha  and  the  garden  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea. 


ARGU^AIENTS    IN    FAVOR.  167 

About  the  only  objection  ever  raised  against  the  site  is  its 
location,  being  inside  the  city,  which  -we  consider  one  of  the 
strongest  arguments  in  its  favor.  Would  the  early  Christians, 
with  the  Scriptures  in  their  possession  and  learned  men  to  ex- 
pound them,  have  selected  a  site  and  built  a  church  within  the 
city  to  commemorate  an  event  that  transpired  without  the  gates, 
if  they  had  not  had  the  strongest  reasons  for  so  doing?  Or, 
if  a  pious  fraud  had  been  intended,  would  they  not  have  chosen 
a  site  outside  the  walls?  Then,  what  motive  could  they  have 
had  who  suffered  persecution,  torture,  and  even  death  for  the 
truth,  to  practice  such  an  imposition  upon  the  Church  and  the 
world  ?  Some  have  contended  for  the  knoll  over  Jeremiah's 
grotto,  outside  the  present  walls,  near  the  Damascus  gate,  but 
without  a  single  argument  to  support  their  theory.  The  rocks 
of  this  knoll  all  lie  undisturbed  in  their  natural  beds,  there 
being  no  evidence  of  any  upheaval,  as  in  the  other  site,  and  at 
the  time  of  the  crucifixion  there  could  have  been  no  such 
mound  here,  it  being  a  part  of  a  rocky  ridge  cut  through  and 
used  as  a  stone-quarry  when  the  modern  wall  was  built,  as  may 
be  seen  by  the  old  tombs,  cisterns  and  aqueducts  left  exposed 
by  these  later  excavations. 

A  late  survey  of  the  rock  formation  underlying  the  city  re- 
moves every  topographical  objection  to  the  traditionary  locality, 
and  reveals  the  fact,  not  known  before,  that  Golgotha  was 
really  an  eminence,  a  spur  of  Akra  running  out  into  the  Tyro- 
poeon  Yalley,  at  least  ninety  feet  in  its  present  condition  above 
the  natural  surface  at  its  base,  showing  clearly  that  Calvary 
was  a  mount  with  precipitous  sides  facing  the  south :  a  very 
important  point.  It  was  also  discovered  that  this  was  an 
ancient  place  of  burial,  several  old  Jewish  tombs  being  found, 
and  that  the  rocks  were  rent  as  with  an  earthquake,  which  is 


168  BIBLE    LANDS, 

not  true  of  any  other  ridge  about  Jerusalem :  another  impor- 
tant point.  Many  of  these  tombs  were  cut  away  to  make  room 
for  Constantine's  Church,  and  in  one  place  the  old  wall  of  this 
Church  runs  directly  through  a  Catacomb  in  which  we  counted 
seven  loculi^  all  more  ancient  than  the  Holy  Sepulcher,  which 
was  a  new  tomb.  In  front  of  one  the  stone  slab  was  still 
lying  that  closed  the  door,  showing  that  it  had  once  been  occu- 
pied and  probably  opened  at  the  time  of  Christ's  resurrection, 
and  from  the  hollow  sound  when  striking  on  the  natural  rock 
floor,  there  are  e\'idently  other  tombs  below.  Could  these  be 
the  graves  from  which  the  saints  arose  ?  Some  of  these  tombs, 
as  those  back  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher,  have  long  been  known 
as  the  graves  of  Nicodemus,  Gamaliel,  and  Joseph,  and  one 
under  Calvary  as  that  of  Adam!  Those  who  may  feel  dis- 
posed to  smile  at  this  last  statement  had  better  first  account  for 
the  tradition,  which  is  older  than  our  era,  that  Golgotha  de- 
rived its  name  from  Adam's  skull  or  tomb  being  there,  and 
that  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  was  to  die  and  bring  "  immor- 
tality to  light "  on  the  spot  where  the  first  Adam,  who  brought 
death  and  ruin  into  our  world,  was  buried ;  and  the  human 
skull  in  all  old  paintings  of  the  crucifixion  is  designed  to 
symbolize  the  grave  of  Adam  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  The 
importance  of  the  discovery  of  these  tombs,  in  the  settlement 
of  this  question,  cannot  be  overrated.  It  proves  conclusively 
that  this  locality  was  outside  of  the  city  at  the  time  of  the 
crucifixion,  as  the  Jews  were  not  allowed  to  bury  within  the 
city,  and  that  these  old  Jewish  tombs  must  be  prior  to  that 
event:  and  also,  that  from  the  time  of  the  construction  of 
Agrippa's  wall  A.  D.  45,  down  to  the  building  of  the  Church 
of  the  Resurrection,  the  place,  for  some  reason,  must  have  been 
carefully  guarded,  if  not  covered  over  with  earth,  or  these 


PILGRIMS  VISITLNG    THE   TOMB.  1G9 

tombs  would  not  have  been  preserved  in  tlieir  perfect  condition 
for  three  centuries  ^vithin  the  city  walls. 

These  researches  further  show  that  the  second  wall  could  not 
have  inclosed  the  site  of  the  Uo]y  Scpulcher  without  crossing 
the  sloping  sides  of  Akra  ;  and  if  the  wall  had  run  over  this 
ridge,  as  Dr.  Robinson  contends,  traces  of  it  would  be  found  in 
the  scarped  rock,  and  there  would  have  been  a  fosse  on  the 
outside,  as  every- where  else  along  the  old  wall,  otherwise 
the  liill  to  the  west  would  have  commanded  it :  but  there  is 
nothing  anywhere  to  indicate  that  the  wall  ever  ran  in  this 
direction.  The  gate  of  Gennath,  from  which  the  second  wall 
started,  must  have  been  about  midway  between  the  Tower  of 
Ilippicus  and  the  Temple  inclosure,  as  may  be  seen  by  refer- 
ence to  our  plan  of  Jerusalem.  There  is  no  evidence  that 
the  reputed  Pool  of  Ilezekiah  is  the  work  of  that  king.  It 
probably  was  built  by  Herod  the  Great,  and  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  settlement  of  this  site,  which  seems  to  be  as  fully 
established  as  any  thing  can  be  short  of  actual  demonstration. 
It  would  be  presumption  to  fix  upon  the  identical  spot  where 
the  Cross  was  planted ;  but  to  doubt  the  identity  of  the  tomb 
would  be  to  falsify  all  history,  and  render  ridiculous  the  devo- 
tion of  the  pious  millions  who  have  knelt  and  prayed  and  wept 
at  this  sacred  shrine.  For  more  than  eighteen  centuries  pil- 
grims from  all  lands  have  been  visiting  this  tomb.  For  these 
eighteen  hundred  years  the  dying  in  distant  chmeshave  turned 
their  pale  faces  toward  this  spot,  and  expired  with  the  vision  of 
the  Resuri'ection  before  their  eyes.  For  long  centuries  kings 
and  queens  sages  and  statesmen,  heroes  and  philosophers — the 
mighty  and  lowly  of  earth — have  been  coming  to  pay  their 
vows  and  drop  a  tear  upon  the  rock  where,  as  they  believe,  the 
body  of  Jesus  once  lay :  and  we  do  not  envy  the  man  who  can 


170 


BIBLE    L\:SDS. 


mark  unmoved  the  zeal  and  love  and  faith,  though  mixed  with 
superstition,  of  these  devoted  Christians.  Some,  when  tliej 
enter  the  rotunda,  stand  for  hours  gazing  intently  on  the  tomb, 
counting  tliemselves  unworthy  to  enter.  Others  remove  their 
shoes,  and  on  their  knees  go  in,  kissing  reverentially  the  cold 
stone ;  and  all  seem  to  look  upon  the  place  as  the  holiest  spot 
on  earth. 


KU   THE   TOMB   OF  CHRIST. 


A  new  graceful  bronze  dome  with  golden  ribs  has  lately 
been  constructed  over  the  rotunda  that  encircles  the  Holy 
Sepulcher,  a  good  view  of  which,  with  Hezekiah's  pool  in  the 
fore-ground,  is  given  by  our  artist  from  Mr.  Hornstein's  Medi- 


DOME    OVER    THE    TOAIB    OF    CIIEIST. 


171 


terranean  Hotel,  near  the  Jaffa  Gate.  This  dome  is  surinouiited 
by  a  golden  cross,  and  the  one  over  the  Mosqne  of  Omar  on 
Mount  Moriah,  by  a  golden  crescent.  On  a  clear  evening, 
when  the  sun  goes  down  in  splendor,  the  effect  on  these  two 
gilded  domes  is  beautiful.  At  first,  both  are  seen  dazzling  in 
the  sunlight,  but  as  the  sun  declines  the  shadows  first  fall  on 
the  crescent,  and  long  after  the  shades  of  twiliffht  have  east  a 
gloom  over  the  city  the  sun's  last  lingering  rays  may  still  be 
seen  reflected  from  the  golden  cross  over  the  tomb  of  Christ. 


TOMB    OF    AAilON. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ROYAL  SEPULCnETl  OF  THE  IIOFSE  OF  DAVID. 

Ancient  Rock-hewn  Tombs — Old  Jewish  Tombs — Natives  Use  them  as  Dwelling*- - 
Tombs  of  the  Patriarchs,  Prophets,  Kings — Sepulcher  of  David  on  Moum 
Zion — Tomb  of  Joshua — St.  Stephen — Eudocia. 

THE  oldest  and  most  reliable  remains  of  Jewish  antiquity  Id 
Palestino  are  the  rock-hewn  tombs  found  scattered  all  over 
the  country.  In  the  vicinity  of  large  cities  like  Jerusalem,  the 
moantain  sides  are  perforated  with  these  sepulchral  caves,  many 
of  them  occupied  by  the  poor  natives  and  their  flocks.  In 
some  districts  half  the  population  live  in  these  tombs  of  their 
ancestors. 

As  a  nation  the  Hebrews  seem  to  have  been  very  particular 
about  the  place  of  their  burial.  A  tent  might  answer  to  live 
in,  but  their  place  of  burial  must  be  a  rock-bound  tomb  ;  and 
it  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  lirst  business  transaction  re- 
corded in  the  affairs  of  this  world  should  be  the  purchase  by 
Abraham  of  the  Cave  of  JVIachpelah  for  a  family  tomb.  And 
how  touchingly  beautiful  the  dying  charge  of  the  Patriarch 
Jacob,  "  Bury  me  with  my  fathers  in  the  cave  which  is  in  the 
field  of  Ephron  the  Ilittite,  in  the  cave  that  is  in  the  field  of 
Machpelah,  which  is  before  Mamre,  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 
There  they  buried  Abraham,  and  Sarah  his  wife ;  there  they 
buried  Isaac,  and  liebekah  his  wife ;  and  there  I  buried 
Leah."  *  Likewise  Joseph,  when  taking  leave  of  his  brethren, 
exacted  with  all  the  solemnity  of  an  oath  the  promise,  that 

ITi;  '  Genesis  xlix,  29-31. 


EOCK-IIEAVX    TOMBS. 


173 


^\4ien  tliey  returned  to  Canaan  tliey  would  surely  carry  his 
bones  with  them  ''  uj)  out  of  Egyj^t,"  which  they  did  some  two 
hundred  years  after,  and  buried  them  in  the  parcel  of  ground 
given  him  by  his  father  at  Shechem,  where  his  grave  may  still 
be  seen,  a  few  minutes'  walk  from  Jacob's  Well. 

It  appears  to  have  been  a  prevailing  custom  among  the  Jews 
for  every  head  of  a  family  to  secure  a  place  of  burial  for  him- 
self and  descendants.     Some  of  these  tombs,   as  those  of  the 


TOMB   OF  THE  JUDGES. 


judges,  prophets,  kings,  and  others,  are  vast  excavations  in  the 
solid  rock,  composed  of  numerous  apartments  cut  out  with  great 
skill,  and  very  similar  to  the  Egyptian  tombs.  Xo  lock  Avas 
ever  invented  more  ingenious  in  its  combinations  than  the  orig- 
inal entrance  to  the  reputed  tomb  of  Helena,  Queen  of  Adia- 
hene,  generally  called  the  "  Tomb  of  the  Kings,"  but  more 
probably  of  the  Herodian  family.  "We  think  it  could  be  easily 
shown,  as  stated  by  Pausanias,  "that  the  door  opened  of  its 


174 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


own  accord  once  a  year/'  by  a  very  simj^le  hydraulic  arrange- 
ment.' 

There  is  no  diihcuUy  in  determining  these  Jewisli  "tombs. 
They  are  all  as  distinct  from  the  Greek,  Koman,  and  Christian, 
as  different  orders  of  architecture  could  possibly  be.  In  the  more 
ancient  and  common,  the  graves  are  sunken  in  the  floor  or  cut 
horizontally,  like  an  oven  or  i^igeon-hole,  in  the  sides  of  the 
chamber  or  face  of  a  natural  cliff.     The  others  have  a  shelf  or 


INTERIOR  OF  ROCK-HEWN    TO^tB. 


bench  along  the  end  wall  or  side,  on  which  the  corpse  was  laid^ 
as  in  the  Holy  Sepulcher.  Sometimes  this  shelf,  or  loculus,  was 
cut  out  like  a  trough,  of  sufficient  depth  to  receive  the  body, 
which  was  then  covered  with  a  flat  stone  or  marble  slab.  All 
these  tombs  are  anterior  to  our  era.  Some  have  Hebrew  in- 
scriptions upon  them,  and  the  reputed  tomb  of  Christ  being  of 
this  kind,  together  with  the  other  ancient  graves  recently  dis- 
covered under  the  foundations  of  Constantine's  Churcli  of  the 

'  During  the  spring  rains  a  float  in  the  vestibule  cistern  \youkl  remove  a  key  that 
held  in  position  a  circular  stone  that  closed  the  entrance,  which  at  once,  of  its- 
own  weight,  would  roll  back,  and  the  door  open  of  its  own  accord. 


AIS^CIENT    JEWISH    TOIMBS. 


175 


Resurrection,  is  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  tlie  traditional 
Holy  Sepulcber.  In  some  of  these  tombs  small  receptacles  are 
found,  as  if  designed  for  children,  yet  containing  the  bones  of 
adults,  and  appear  to  have  been  used  to  dej^osit  the  remains  or 
skeletons  in  after  they  had  fallen  to  pieces,  perhaps  to  make 
room  for  fresh  corpses.  Thus,  the  dead  "  were  gathered  unto 
their  fathers/' 


fe 


:>#? 


JOSEPH'S    TOMB    AND    MOUXT    GERIZIM. 


The  identity  of  any  particular  tomb  in  the  absence  of  inscri]> 
tions  after  the  lapse  of  so  many  centuries  is  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult ;  still,  as  in  that  of  the  patriarchs  and  of  Rachel,  of  Josepli 
and  of  David  and  others,  there  is  no  room  for  skepticism. 
The  Scriptures  are  very  explicit  in  their  account  of  David  com- 
ing up  from  Hebron  and  taking  the  strong  "  Castle  of  Zion," 
and  building  the  new  City  of  David  round  al^out  the  old  for- 
tress of  the  Jebusites.  Zion  henceforth  became  his  royal  resi- 
dence, and  when  Israel's  great  king  closed  his  eventful  reign  of 


J.76  BIBLE    LAIOJS. 

forty  years  it  is  written,  "  he  was  buried  in  the  City  of  David," ' 
and  so  it  is  said  of  Solomon  his  son,  and  of  twelve  of  their  suc- 
cessors to  the  throne.  They  were  all  buried  in  "  the  City  of 
DaWd  "  on  Mount  Zion,  "  whicli  is  Jerusalem." 

On  the  higlicst  summit  of  Zion,  where,  according  to  all  his- 
tory and  tradition,  "  Israel's  sweet  singer "  reigned,  died,  and 
was  buried,  there  is  an  old  church  and  convent  known  as  Neby 
Daud,  or  the  Tomb  of  the  Prophet  Da%nd,  which  in  all  proba- 
bility covers  the  sepulchral  caverns  of  the  kings  of  Israel. 
After  the  Captivity,  when  Xehemiali  was  rebuilding  the  waUs 
of  Jerusalem,  he  refers  to  the  "sepulchers  of  David"  being 
still  there,  which  agrees  precisely  with  this  locality,  and  "the 
stairs  that  go  down  from  tiie  City  of  David," "  cut  in  the  living 
rock,  may  still  be  seen  here.  Josephus  also  makes  mention  of 
the  same  fact,  and  locates  the  tomb  on  Mount  Zion  about  this 
point.  And  Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  reminds  the  Jews 
that  the  sepulchcr  of  David,  their  great  prophet,  was  with 
them  unto  that  day.  From  Cyril,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and 
others,  we  learn  that  there  was  a  building  known  as  the  Church 
of  the  Apostles,  standing  on  or  near  this  spot  in  the  fourth 
century,  and  said  to  be  the  only  edifice  ^vithin  the  city  not 
destroyed  by  Titus.  The  foundations  of  the  present  building 
are  evidently  of  great  antiquity,  the  beveled  stones  having 
originally  been  laid  without  mortar,  being  held  together  with 
stone  knobs  and  sockets,  and  the  old  capitals  on  the  pillars  and 
other  fragments  of  sculpture  are  clearly  of  Jewish  origin,  having 
on  them  the  vine  with  foliage  ai/d  clusters  of  grapes,  so  peculiar 
to  that  people,  with  other  marks  of  Jewish  workmanship. 

Over  the  reputed  tomb  on  the  second  floor  of  this  old  Chris- 
tian Church,  now  a  Mohammedan  mosque,  is  an  upper  roonc 

'  1  Kings  ii,  10.  *  Nehemiah  iii,  15,  16. 


THE    CGElSrACULUM. 


177 


forty-five  by  thirty  feet,  witli  groined  ceiling  supported  by 
twelve  granite  and  marble  antique  columns,  wliich  for  at  least 
fifteen  centuries  has  been  known  as  the  Coenaculum,  or  "  upper 
room,"  wliere  the  last  supper  was  instituted,  and  wliere  tbe 
Holy  Ghost  was  poured  out  upon  the  disciples  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost.     The  place  overflows  with  thought !     What  mem 


•WOMEN'S  OAHiERY. 


PPPJIRHOOM  A-S    X   30 

GROINED  CEILING 


Ol 


21 


12  COLUMNS 


Icenotaph] 


ANTE-HOOM 


Q    CISTlRtl 
LOWEK        TERBACa 


STEPS   TO    TERRACE 
FROM   ■WHICH   YOtr  ENTER 
UPPER  TERRACE- 


OPEN  COURT. 


PLAN  OP  THE  UPPER  ROOM,  OVER  TOMl!  OF  DAVID. 

A  and  B.  Eemains  of  two  small  minarets,  rig-ht  and  left  of  original  entrance,  now  closed. 
C.  Stairs  leading'  to  lower  apartments  and  the  Koyal  Septilcher  of  David.  No.  1.  Eed  granite 
column  ■with  Jewish  capital.  No.  2.  Gray  granite  column  with  Grecian  capital,  very  line. 
No.  8.  Exquisite  marble  column  of  the  Eoman  order,  the  capital  richly  sculptured  with  birds  and 
animals  among  the  foliage.  A  belt  course  or  frieze  runs  round  the  room  at  the  spring  of  the  arch, 
of  Jewish  workmanship,  and  very  beautiful,  showing  the  -vine  and  clusters  of  grapes. 


ories  it  awakens  !  But  no  words  can  describe  the  emotions  exj^e- 
rienced  by  the  devout  mind  on  first  entering  that  "  upper  room." 
That  this  is  the  site  of  the  City  of  David  none  will  deny,  as 
the  remains  of  the  old  citadel  and  walls  and  towers  clearly  at- 
test, and  as  the  excavations  lately  made  on  Zion  by  that  enthu- 
siastic Christian  archaeologist,  Mr.  Henry  Maudslay,  fully 
12 


178  BIBLE    LAia)S. 

demonstrate.  That  there  are  great  caverns  under  this  portion 
of  Mount  Zion  there  can  be  no  question,  having  myself  ex 
plored  them  in  parf.  And  that  the  royal  sepulchers  of  the 
kings  of  Israel,  entered  and  robbed  by  Hyrcanus  and  Herod  the 
Great,  if  not  here,  are  very  near  this  locality,  there  can  be  but 
little  doubt.  Beyond  this,  until  further  explorations  are  made, 
nothing  can  be  definitely  known.  I  visited  this  interesting 
place  early  one  morning  during  the  Passover,  and  was  sur- 
prised to  find  a  large  number  of  Jews,  men  and  women,  weep- 
ing and  praying  against  the  eastern  face  of  the  old  wall  just 
outside  the  crypt,  not  being  allowed  to  enter  the  tomb  of  their 
own  prophet  and  king ;  at  the  same  time  I  could  hear  the  Mo- 
hammedans at  prayers  within.  Rather  a  novel  sight — Jews 
without,  Moslems  within,  and  Christian  looking  on. 

This  is  considered  one  of  the  most  sacred  localities  about 
Jerusalem  by  all  religionists.  No  place  is  guarded  more 
jealously  by  the  Turk,  and  only  good  Moslems  are  permitted  to 
enter  the  vault  that  contains  the  cenotaph  of  the  royal  prophet. 
Having  long  had  a  desire  to  visit  this  mysterious  crypt,  about 
which  I  had  heard  the  most  fabulous  tales,  and  being  familiar 
with  the  dialect  of  the  land — for  whatever  it  may  have  been  of 
old,  backsheesh  is  the  language  of  Canaan  now,  I  succeeded 
one  midnight  hour,  when  the  guards  were  asleep,  in  gaining 
admission  into  these  forbidden  parts.  It  was  a  perilous  under- 
taking, and  I  knew  my  life  was  in  jeopardy  every  moment. 
Going  down  seventeen  stone  steps  in  the  south-west  corner 
of  the  upper  room,  I  was  landed  in  a  chamber  the  size  of  the 
one  above — a  kind  of  chapel  or  mosque  for  common  pilgrims — 
from  which,  through  a  grated  window  hung  with  thousands 
of  votive  offerings,  can  be  seen  what  is  termed  the  tomb. 
This  room  communicates  with  another,  a  kind  of  ante-room 


TOMB    OF    DAVID. 


17 


with  a  niche  for  prayer,  in  front  of  which  stood  two  large 
brass  candlesticks,  and  in  the  corner  on  the  left  several  flags 
and  devices,  such  as  are  carried  on  pilgrimages.  Between  this 
ante-room  and  the  next,  which  is  the  sanctum  sanctorum — a 
vaulted  room  twenty-fiv^e  feet  square  with  walls  of  great  thick- 
ness— there  are  double  doors,  the  outer  one  iron  with  strong 
bolts,  the  inner,  wood,  overhung  with  a  black  velvet  curtain 


TOMB  OF    DATID. 


embroidered  with  silver.  The  cenotaph  extends  almost  across 
the  crypt  from  east  to  west  on  the  north  side.  It  is  built  of 
common  stone,  nicely  dressed,  about  five  feet  high,  with  a 
square  marble  slab  in  fi'ont,  and  an  oval  porphyiy  one  on  top, 
the  whole  covered  with  a  green  velvet  canopy  or  pall,  with 
black  border  richly  wrought  in  gold  ;  and  directly  in  front,  on 
a  black  velvet  ground  in  Arabic  characters,  is  the  following 


180  BLBLE   LANDS. 

passage  from  the  Koran,  also  embroidered  in  gold  :  "  O  David  \ 
verily  thon  art  a  sovereign  prince  in  the  earth." 

The  marble  floor  was  covered  with  Persian  rags.  The  walls 
were  cased  with  blue  encaustic  tiling,  and  the  vault  lighted  dimly 
by  six  lamps  suspended  from  the  ceiling,  and  two  very  large 
silver  candlesticks,  one  at  either  end  of  the  tomb,  rendering  the 
place  awfully  solemn.  But  the  most  interesting  part  of  this 
venerable  edifice  is  a  door  with  an  oval  top  on  the  left  of  the 
shrine,  now  closed  securely  with  masonry.  In  a  little  niche 
by  the  side  of  it  a  lamp  is  kept  always  burning,  and  the  most 
frightful  stories  are  told  of  persons  being  struck  with  blindness 
in  attempting  to  enter  this  door,  and  of  others  being  consumed 
by  fire — ^probably  fire-damp — bursting  out  of  the  cavern  be- 
low ;  and,  in  consequence,  the  door  was  walled  up  many  years 
ago,  in  all  probability  the  very  door  that  leads  to  the  royal 
catacombs  of  the  kings  of  Israel.  Over  this  closed  entrance 
there  is  an  Arabic  inscription  to  the  effect,  "  This  is  the  gate 
to  heaven,"  or  "  the  door  to  paradise,"  but  alas !  it  is  closed  t 
Closed  by  Mohammedan  superstition.  Ah !  could  we  but  open 
that  door,  and  get  down  into  the  grotto  below,  and  be  permitted 
to  gaze  upon  the  gold  and  silver  coflans  of  God's  own  chosen 
kings,  and  find  there  the  golden  harp  on  which  David  played 
his  immortal  psalms,  what  a  discovery  it  would  be !  How 
much  speculation  it  would  remove !  and  how  many  points  it 
would  establish  in  the  topography  of  the  Holy  City  I     But  we 

must  wait. 

"  God  is  his  own  interpreter, 
And  he  will  make  it  plain." 

An  interesting  discovery  has  lately  been  made  at  ancient 
Timnath-serah,  the  heritage  of  Joshua,  in  the  supposed  tomb 
of  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun.     It  differs  from  the  other  rock 


T03IB    OF    JOSHUA. 


181 


tombs  in  the  vicinity  by  having  a  vestibule  in  front,  supported 
by  two  cohinms,  portions  of  the  natural  rock,  with  a  lillet  run- 
ning round  them  after  the  Egyptian  style.  In  this  vestibule 
there  are  two  or  three  hundred  niches  for  lamps,  indicating 
that  it  was  the  tomb  of  no  ordinary  person.  Back  of  this  ves- 
tibule are  two  chambers,  one  containing  lifteen  receptacles,  the 
other  but  one.  The  latter  is  supposed  to  be  Joshua's,  the 
former  his  family  vault ;  and  in  proof  of  this  supposition  many 
flint-knives  were  here  found,  such  as  were  used  in  circumcising 


JEWISH    ROCK-CUT    TOMBS. 


the  children  of  Israel  after  they  crossed  the  Jordan,  and  simi- 
lar to  those  discovered  at  Gilgal,  their  first  camping-place  in  the 
Land  of  Promise. 

Another  beautiful  tomb  was  discovered  a  short  time  since, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  north  of  the  Damascus  gate. 
In  digging  a  cistern  at  this  point  the  workmen  came  upon  sev- 
eral sepulchral  vaults,  in  one  of  which  was  found  a  large  stone 
chest  or  coffin,  containing  human  remains.     It  measured  seven 


182 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


feet  seven  inches  in  length,  by  two  feet  eight  inches  in  width, 
and  was  three  feet  two  inches  high,  standing  on  four. feet 
in  the  center  of  the  chamber.  As  no  name  or  inscription  was 
fonnd  in  the  crypt  by  which  it  could  be  identified,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  tell  to  whom  this  stately  tomb  belonged ;  but,  as  near 
this,  if  not  on  the  very  spot,  once  stood  the  grand  Church  of 
St.  Stephen,  on  the  supposed  site  of  that  holy  man's  martyr- 
dom, and  as  the  beautiful  and  accomplished  Empress  Eudocia, 
died  and  was  buried  here,  may  not  this  sarcophagus  be  the 
tomb  of  the  unfortunate  wife  of  Theodosius  II.,  if  not  that  of 
St.  Stephen  himself,  who  was  re-interred  here  by  that  empress  ? 
These  tombs  are  every-where  found.  They  cover  the  face 
of  the  Holy  Land.  In  them  sleep  the  dust  of  the  most  eminent 
men  that  ever  lived ;  of  whom,  liowever,  nothing  more  can 
be  known  until  the  earth  delivers  up  her  dead. 


''V'- 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EASTER      FESTIVITIES. 

AiTiTal  of  Pilgrims — Reli^ous  Fanaticism — Solemn  Mockeries — Ceremony  of  Feet- 
washing — Dramatizing  the  Crucifixion — Baptism  of  Fire — Other  shocking 
Scenes. 

IN  the  center  of  the  Greek  Cliapel,  in  front  of  the  tomb  of 
Christ,  a  small  marble  globe  on  a  low  pedestal  is  pointed 
ont  as  the  center  of  the  world.  Many  visitors  laugh  heartily 
at  the  idea,  but  is  it  not  as  near  the  center  as  any  other  spot  on 
the  earth's  surface  ?  For  centuries  Jerusalem  was  regarded  as 
the  world's  center  of  wealth,  power,  intelligence,  and  popula- 
tion, and  all  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude,  and  all  astro- 
nomical calculations,  were  reckoned  from  this  center.  It  was 
also  the  great  center  of  religious  influence,  and  is  still  the  moral 
center,  and  ever  will  be,  round  which  the  dearest  hopes  and 
affections  of  our  race  revolve.  Thousands  of  pilgrims  from  all 
lands  are  constantly  coming  and  going.  Many  save  up  their 
money  for  half  a  lifetime  in  order  to  make  this  journey.  The 
very  stones  are  worn  smooth  with  their  kisses  and  tears ;  and 
yet,  with  all  this  devotion,  which  we  cannot  but  admire,  there 
is  very  little  true  religion. 

Just  now  we  are  in  the  midst  of  the  Easter  festivities,  which 
attract  vast  multitudes.  The  city  is  crowded  with  strangers, 
and  the  hills  outside  the  walls  are  white  with  their  tents,  look- 
ing as  if  we  were  invested  by  a  besieging  army.  The  arrival 
of  these  caravans  is  quite  exciting ;  processions  go  out  to  meet 

them,  and  with  music,  dancing,  and  waving  banners,  they  are 

183 


184  BIBLE   LANDS. 

escorted  into  the  Holy  City.     Those  from  Eussia  Mecca  and 
Persia  attract  the  greatest  attention. 

As  I  write,  a  procession  is  passing,  with  a  man  standing  bare« 
footed  on  the  sharp  edge  of  a  sword.  Of  course  there  is  some 
deception ;  either  the  feet  are  well  protected,  or  the  sword  not 
very  sharp.  Others  pretend  to  thrust  swords  and  daggers 
through  different  parts  of  their  bodies,  and  others  again  to  eat 
fire  without  being  burned,  all  which  is  regarded  by  the  super- 
stitious as  miraculous.  One  of  the  dervishes  has  just  come 
into  the  Consulate  with  a  sword  run  through  his  face  from 
near  the  right  ear  and  out  of  his  mouth,  to  the  great  amaze- 
ment of  the  natives;  but  on  examination  I  found  that  the 
cheek  had  been  previously  pierced,  and  allowed  partially  to 
heal  up,  the  opening  being  concealed  by  his  black  heavy  beard. 
This  deception  we  can  account  for  among  the  ignorant  Mussul 
mans ;  but  how  are  we  to  excuse  even  greater  mockeries  when 
practiced  by  professing  Christians  ? 

The  Easter  services  began  by  the  ancient  and  very  curious 
ceremony  of  feet-washing.  A  platform  gorgeously  decorated 
was  constructed  in  the  open  court  in  front  of  the  Church  of 
the  Holy  Sepulcher,  on  which  were  seated  the  Greek  Patriarch, 
personating  Christ,  and  twelve  Bishops,  representing  the  twelve 
apostles.  After  reading  a  portion  of  the  Gospel  relating  to 
Christ  washing  the  disciples'  feet,  the  Patriarch,  in  imitation 
of  our  Lord,  went  a  short  distance  with  three  of  his  disciples, 
and  knelt  down,  as  if  in  prayer,  under  an  olive-tree  planted 
there  for  the  occasion.  After  a  few  minutes  he  returned 
to  the  stage,  and,  taking  off  his  outer  robe,  proceeded  to 
wash  and  kiss  the  feet  of  the  pretended  apostles.  The 
looks  of  Judas  rather  betrayed  him  during  this  operation, 
and  Peter  at  first  hesitated,  then  refused  to  submit  to  such 


DRAMATIZING    THE    CKUCIFIXIOISr. 


185 


an  act  on  the  part  of  the  Lord,  but  linally  was  persuaded  to 
yield. 

The  vessel  nsed  for  the  purpose  was  a  basin  of  pure  gold, 
very  large,  and  richly  chased.  When  this  ceremony  was  con- 
cluded Judas  stealthily  retired,  and  the  Patriarch,  with  a  bunch 
of  hyssojD,  sjirinkled  the  vast  assemblage  with  tlie  water  that 
remained,  all  manifesting  the  greatest  eagerness  to  catch  if  but 
a  drop :  some  turning  up  their  faces,  others  baring  their 
breasts,  in  liojDe  that  a  drop  of  the  holy  water  might  fall  upon 


them.  "Wlien  this  service  ended,  a  ru.sli  was  made  for  the 
olive-tree,  supposed  to  possess  rare  healing  qualities,  the  super- 
stitious believing  that  a  leaf  or  twig  burned  in  a  sick  chamber 
would  recover  the  patient  immediately.  The  scene  at  this 
moment  was  frightful  to  behold,  thousands  of  infatuated  men 
and  women  rushed  pell-mell  upon  the  tree,  till  not  a  branch  or 
leaf  remained,  not  even  a  trace  of  the  tree,  so  completely  was 
it  destroyed ;  and  had  Judas  not  escaped  when  he  did,  he  too 
would  have  shared  a  similar  fate. 

In  tliis  same  church,  on  the  following  evening,  an  exhibition 


186  BIBLE   LANDS. 

took  place  almost  as  shocking  as  that  witnessed  very  near  the 
same  spot  eighteen  centuries  before,  Christ  in  eflSgy  was  nailed 
to  a  cross  and  crucified  afresh  in  the  presence  of  an  excited 
multitude,  that  could  only  be  kept  under  control  by  the  pres- 
ence of  a  strong  guard  of  Turkish  soldiers  detailed  for  the  pur- 
pose. After  hanging  for  an  hour  or  more,  during  which  time 
all  the  scenes  of  the  crucifixion  were  re-enacted,  the  nails  were 
drawn  from  the  hands  and  feet,  the  crown  of  thorns  removed 
from  the  head,  and  the  body  carefully  lowered  from  the  cross ; 
after  which  it  was  wrapped  in  a  winding-sheet,  carried  to  the 
stone  of  unction,  where  it  was  prepared  for  burial,  then  placed 
in  the  supposed  original  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  where 
it  remained  until  Easter  morning,  when  it  was  spirited  away 
while  yet  it  was  dark,  in  imitation  of  Christ's  resurrection. 

The  whole  effect  on  the  multitude  was  wonderful ;  men  and 
women  wept  like  children ;  some  smote  violently  their  breasts ; 
others  struggled  to  touch  or  kiss  the  figure ;  and  some  to  wipe 
up  the  drops  of  blood  that  oozed  from  the  wounds,  applying  it 
to  their  lips,  eyes,  and  hearts,  in  the  firm  belief  that  it  would 
cure  them  of  all  their  sins. 

But  the  most  exciting  scene  witnessed  here  during  these 
festivities  is  the  kindling  of  the  holy  fire.  The  foundation 
for  this  unwarranted  imposition  is  that  portion  of  Scripture 
where  Christ  represents  himself  as  the  "  Light  of  the  world," 
and  says,  "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth."  There  is 
also  an  old  legend  which  says  that  on  one  occasion,  the  day 
before  Easter,  fire  was  seen  issuing  from  the  tomb  of  Christ. 
Hence,  the  imposition  is  still  practiced  by  the  Greek  and  Arme- 
nian Churches.  Usually  on  this  occasion  thousands  of  pilgrims 
gather  about  the  Holy  Sepulcher.  The  crowd  at  times  has 
been  so  great  that  many  have  been  trampled  to  death — on  one 


THE  HOLY   FLESE.  187 

occasion  several  hundred.  Now  a  strong  body  of  Turkish 
soldiers  is  employed  to  preserve  order  and  hold  in  check  the 
excited  multitude. 

We  were  present  on  several  occasions  to  witness  this  strange 
exhibition  of  fanaticism.  The  vast  edifice,  with  its  courts  and 
galleries,  was  packed  with  pilgrims  hours  before  the  service 
began.  Some  had  been  there  from  the  night  before,  anxiously 
waiting  for  the  baptism  of  fire.  The  interval  up  to  the  hour 
appointed  for  the  service  to  begin  was  occupied  by  all  kinds 
of  performances.  Men,  mounted  on  the  shoulders  of  others, 
were  carried  about,  going  through  a  variety  of  fantastic  ma- 
neuvers ;  some  seemed  to  walk  on  the  heads  of  the  human 
mass  beneath  them,  haranguing  the  multitude,  pouring  male- 
dictions on  the  Jews  for  crucifying  the  Lord  of  glory,  and 
shouting  in  their  frenzy  for  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven 
and  consume  their  enemies.  The  excitement  of  the  scene  was 
heightened  by  frequent  conflicts  between  the  soldiers  and  the 
people,  the  whole  assembly  at  times  swaying  to  and  fro  like 
the  surging  sea. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  procession  of  priests 
and  bishops,  led  by  the  choir  and  followed  by  the  Greek  Pa- 
triarch, all  richly  attired,  came  moving  out  of  the  Greek 
Chapel,  and  after  marching  round  the  sepulcher  three  times 
the  Patriarch  entered  the  Chapel  of  tlie  Angel,  in  front  of  the 
supposed  tomb  of  our  blessed  Lord,  the  door  closing  immedi- 
ately after  him;  the  soldiers  with  difiiculty  keei)ing  back  the 
multitude,  wlio  now  made  a  rush  for  the  entrance,  all  eager  to 
catch  the  first  flame  from  the  holy  shrine.  The  excitement  at 
this  moment  was  intense.  All  eyes  were  turned  toward  the 
opening  in  the  tomb  from  which  the  fire  was  expected  to  come. 
Ten  thousand  tapers  in  ten  thousand  liands  M-ere  ready  to  be 


188  BIBLE   LANDS. 

lighted  by  the  first  flash  from  the  sepulcher ;  one  man,  it  is 
said,  paying  eighty  thousand  piasters  for  a  position  near  the 
opening.  All  now  was  silence,  and  the  suspense  oppressive ; 
when  suddenly  a  flame  was  seen  bursting  from  the  tomb.  The 
great  bells  in  rapid  peals  announced  the  event  far  and  near. 
Thousands  of  men  and  women,  wild  with  enthusiasm,  and  be- 
lieving that  the  fire  actually  came  from  heaven,  rushed  to  light 
their  tapers  in  the  flame.  The  soldiers  on  duty  were  swept 
away  like  chaff  before  the  whirlwind.  Hundreds  fell  upon  the 
marble  pavement  and  were  trampled  under  foot  by  the  infu- 
riated mob.  Shrieks  and  cries  ascended  from  the  seething 
crowd.  Men  rushed  frantically  out  with  torch  in  hand  to 
diffuse  the  tire  among  their  friends  and  neighbors.  Some  in 
their  frenzy  set  their  beards  on  fire,  others  tore  off  their  cloth- 
ing to  burn  their  bodies,  and  parents  were  seen  holding  up 
their  little  children  that  they,  too,  might  touch  the  flame. 
As  if  by  magic  thousands  of  lamps,  candles  and  tapers  were 
lighted  in  every  chapel,  alcove,  and  gallery,  until  the  entire 
vast  edifice  was  ablaze.  The  confusion  and  noise  were  bewil- 
dering ;  the  neat  and  smoke,  suffocating ;  and  the  whole  effect 
reminded  one  more  of  the  fire-worshipers  of  Baal  in  their 
midnight  orgies  than  of  a  Christian  service. 

We  pity  the  credulity  of  the  ignorant  people  present  on  this 
occasion ;  but  what  excuse  can  be  offered  for  the  learned  priests 
and  bishops  who  thus  wantonly  turn  into  comedy  the  most  sa- 
cred events  ?  For  all  such  exhibitions  we  regard  as  nothing 
more  than  solemn  mockeries. 


«i^ 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

BETHLEHEM,  AND  HILL  COUNTRY  OF  JUDEA. 

Birthplace  of  Christ — Church  of  the  Nativity — Oriental  Khan — Christmas  in  Beth- 
lehem— Armenian  Convent — Midnight  Service — Solemn  Impressions — Grotto 
of  St.  Jerome — Birthplace  of  John  the  Baptist — Wilderness  of  Judea — Lo- 
cust and  Wild  Honey — Difference  of  Opinion. 

SITUATED  on  a  fruitful  ridge  about  six  miles  south  of 
Jerusalem,  overlooking  the  Yalley  of  the  Kedron  on  the 
north,  and  the  deep  chasm  of  the  Dead  Sea  on  the  east,  is 
Bethlehem  of  Judea,  to  the  Christian  the  holiest  place  on  earth. 

It  is  one  of  the  oldest  villages  in  Palestine,  and  associated 
with  some  of  the  most  stirring  events  in  the  rehgious  history 
of  the  world.  Here  Ruth  gleaned  after  the  reapers  of  Boaz ; 
here  the  youthful  David  kept  his  father's  flocks,  and  was  an- 
ointed King  of  Israel ;  here,  also,  Jeremiah,  after  denouncing 
God's  terrible  judgments  upon  the  people,  foretold  the  coming 
of  "  The  Lord  our  Righteousness ; "  *  and  here  the  shepherds 
who  watched  their  flocks  by  night  were  startled  by  the  angelic 
song  announcing  the  Messiah's  birth,  and  proclaiming  the 
evangel  of  "  peace  on  earth,  and  good-will  toward  men." 

The  name  signifies  the  House  of  Bread,  and  truly  it  may  be 
said,  Bethlehem  has  given  to  our  perishing  race  the  bread  of 
eternal  life.  What  countless  millions  have  feasted  on  this  heav- 
enly loaf ! 

As  we  rode  along  the  well-beaten  path  leading  from  Jerusa- 
lem, crowded  with  pilgrims  from  all  lands  going  up  to  visit 

'  Jeremiah  xxiii,  6. 

191 


192  BIBLE    LANDS. 

the  plsLce  that  gave  birth  to  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  what  old 
memories  were  awakened !  Here,  on  the  plain  of  Eephaim, 
over  which  the  road  wmds,  it  is  suj^j^osed  the  army  of  Sen- 
nacherib lay  encamped  when  smitten  by  the  destroying  angel ;  ^ 
along  this  same  road  Abraham  probably  journeyed  on  his  way 
to  the  Mount  of  God,  leading  his  only  son  as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter ;  along  this  same  road  the  Virgin  and  her  husband 
once  toiled  on  their  weary  way  to  the  "  City  of  David,  which 


RACHEL'S    TOMB. 


is  called  Bethlehem  ; "  along  this  same  road  the  magi  came 
with  their  costly  gifts  to  worship  at  the  feet  of  the  new-born 
King ;  and  long  before  the  advent  of  Christ,  long  before  the 
Hebrews  possessed  the  land,  when  the  Jebusites  still  held  the 
old  "  Castle  of  Zion,"  Jacob,  on  his  way  to  Hebron,  traveled 
over  this  same  road ;  and  it  was  here  that  Rachel,  his  young 
and  beautiful  wife,  died  as  she  gave  birth  to  her  second  son. 

'  2  Kins^s  xix,  35. 


THE    INN    OF    BETIILEHE^M.  193 

How  toncJiingly  sad  the  nairative,  "  And  Rachel  died  and  was 
buried  in  the  way  to  Ephrath,  which  is  Bethlehem.  And 
Jacob  set  a  pillar  upon  her  grave,"  etc' 

Nearly  four  thousand  years  have  elapsed  since  this  motlier  in 
Israel  died,  and  Jacob  set  up  this  stone  as  a  memorial  over  her 
giave ;  and  yet  the  tomb  of  Rachel  is  still  here  by  the  way -side, 
protected  by  Jewish,  Christian,  and  Moslem  piety  as  one  of  the 
most  sacred  spots  in  the  Holy  Land. 

That  the  grotto  pointed  out  as  the  birthplace  of  Chi-ist  is 
very  near,  if  not  the  identical  spot  of  our  Saviour's  nativity, 
there  is  no  reason  to  doubt.  All  tradition  and  history  agree 
upon  this  locality.  Justin  Martyr,  who  was  a  native  of  Syria, 
md  had  every  opportunity  of  knowing  the  j)recise  place,  tells 
as  Christ  was  born  in  this  cave  ;  Origen  mentions  the  same 
fact.  Ilelena,  also,  before  she  erected  her  grand  basilica  to 
commemorate  the  event,  must  have  known  the  spot.  It  is  not 
likely  that  events  so  wonderful  as  the  visit  of  the  angels  who 
announced  his  birth,  the  coming  of  the  wise  men  from  the  East 
to  render  him  homage,  and  the  star  standing  over  the  place 
where  the  young  child  lay,  would  soon,  if  ever,  be  forgotten. 
Certainly  not  in  the  brief  period  that  intervened  between  Jus- 
tin Martyr  and  the  Empress  Ilelena. 

That  the  present  Church  of  the  Nativity  is  the  identical  one 
built  by  this  empress  none  will  deny.  It  is  the  oldest  Chris- 
tian church  in  the  world,  and  many  of  the  forty-eight  beautiful 
columns  which  support  the  cedar  roof  were  in  all  probabihty 
taken  from  the  grand  Temple  of  Solomon  on  Moriah. 

For  fifteen  centuries  this  venerable  edifice  has  stood  as  a  silent 
witness  to  the  fact  that  in  the  grotto  beneath  its  altar  the  "  King 
of  kings"  was  born,  who  brought  "good  tidings  of  great  joy 

'  Genesis  xxxv,  19. 
13 


194  EFRLE    LANDS, 

to  all  people;"  and  that  ako  on  this  very  site  the  inn  of  P»ctb 
lehem  once  stood. 

An  eastern  inn,  or  khan,  never  was  a  house  of  entertainment 
in  the  sense  that  Aniorieans  understand  a  hotel  to  be.  Such 
aecoiuinodations  as  provision,  hed,  and  other  comforts  at  an  inn 
are  unknown  in  the  Orient,  and  hclonpj  exclusively  to  western 
civilization.  In  the  East  all  travelers  carry  their  own  bedding 
and  jirovision  with  them,  and  must  dress  their  own  food,  kindle 
their  own  fire,  and  spread  their  own  table.  An  Oriental  inn  is 
merely  a  place  of  shelter  from  the  storm,  or  protection  from 
robbers,  where  a  man  and  his  beast  can  safely  lodge  for  the 
night  free  of  charge.  A  portion  of  the  khan  was  assigned  to 
the  beasts,  generally  one  side,  and  travelers  who  came  in  late, 
if  they  found  the  khan  full,  would  have  to  make  their  beds  in 
the  manger  with  the  horses  and  camels,  as  Joseph  and  Mary 
were  forced  to  do.  These  caravansaries,  or  inns,  were  some- 
times very  rude,  simply  a  rough  wall  built  round  a  house,  or 
natural  caves  in  the  rocks,  as  appears  to  have  been  the  case  at 
Bethlehem.  Many  of  these  grottoes  are  still  used  as  stables  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  some  of  them  as  dwellings  by  the 
Arabs. 

Until  superseded  by  convents,  every  village  had  its  khan; 
they  were  also  found  along  the  great  lines  of  travel.  These 
inns  were  considered  sacred  projicrty.  No  invading  army  ever 
disturbed  them.  Generally  there  was  but  one  khan  in  a  place,^ 
and  in  a  small  town  like  Bethlehem  there  never  could  have 
been  but  one.  When  once  an  inn  was  established,  through  the 
liberality  of  some  prince  or  man  of  wealth,  it  became  public 
property  consecrated  to  hospitality,  and  could  ncvt-r  be  appro- 
priated to  other  purposes. 

We  have  been  thus  minute  in  our  descrij>tion  of  an  Oriental 


ORIENTAL    KHAN.  195 

khan  because  tradition  loontes  tlic  inn  of  Jopcph  and  Mary  at 
Bethlehem  oti  a  portion  of  the  estate  of  Boaz — the  old  home- 
stead of  Obed  and  Jesse — so  that  the  birtlijilace  of  David  was 
identical  with  the  birtliplace  Of  Jesus,  his  illustrious  successor 
and  King  eternal.  AVe  visited  this  place  on  Christmas  eve  in 
order  to  celebrate  the  gruat  event  very  near,  if  not  on  the  very 
spot,  where  Christ  our  Lord  was  born.  The  weather  was  mild, 
and  on  the  way  we  passed  several  shepherds  with  their  flocks 
of  sheep  and  goats,  among  which  we  saw  quite  a  number  of 
lainl)s  and  kids  skipping  among  the  rocks. 

As  eighteen  centuries  before,  "  there  M-as  no  room  in  the  inn," 
but  by  invitation  of  the  Patriarch  we  stopped  at  the  Armenian 
Convent  close  by.  Our  party  were  the  first  Americans  ever 
entertained  by  the  monks,  ajid  our  ladies  the  first  women  ever 
admitted  into  the  convent.  We  were  treated  with  great  re- 
spect, and  every  attention  was  shown  us  ;  l)ut  the  thought  of 
sitting  and  sleejung  on  rich  divans  in  the  same  city,  and  very 
near  the  identical  sjiot,  wlicre  the  infant  Saviour  once  lay  upon 
the  straw,  detrncted  grcntly  from  the  enjoyment  of  the  occasion. 
Still,  I  considered  it  a  great  privilege  to  be  there,  and  a  strange 
feeling  came  over  me  as  I  joined  in  the  midnight  service  over 
the  manger  where  our  blessed  Lord,  in  all  probability,  once  lay 
a  helpless  babe ;  and  when  we  all  marched  with  lighted  tapers 
through  the  old  chui-ch,  and  down  into  the  Grotto  of  the  Na- 
tivity chanting  the  Christmas  cai-ol,  "Glory  to  God  in  the  high- 
est," we  felt  spell-bound,  and  our  liearts  re-echoed  the  senti- 
ment back  to  heaven  ;  and  when  we  surrounded  the  manger, 
and  read  in  characters  of  gold  the  inscription  beneath  the  altar 
— IIkrp:  Jksus  Christ  was  born!  no  words  can  describe  my 
emotions. 

Many  gold  and  silver  lamps,  the  votive  offerings  of  royalty. 


196  BIBLE    LANDS. 

are  kept  contimiallj  burning,  like  vestal  fires,  over  the  silver 
Btar  that  marks  the  supposed  spot  where  the  Prince  was  born, 
to  "  whose  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 

Many  other  events  associated  with  Bethlehem  add  greatly  to 
the  interest  of  the  place,  especially  the  life  and  labors  of  that 
eminent  Christian  man,  St.  Jerome,  one  of  the  most  learned 
and  devout  fathers  of  the  Church,  who,  wishing  to  get  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  fountain  of  truth,  here  secluded  himself  from 
the  world  and  performed  the  immortal  service  of  translating 
the  Scriptures  from  the  original  text  into  the  Latin,  thus  giving 
to  our  world  a  correct  version  of  the  Bible. 

The  little  cell,  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  where  this  good  man 
lived  and  wrote  with  the  trump  of  God  sounding  in  his  ears, 
may  still  be  seen.  Here  he  died  and  was  buried,  and  here  he 
awaits  the  call  of  the  last  tramp  to  a  new  and  endless  life. 

What  hallowed  memories  this  place  awakens !  What  influ 
ences,  have  gone  out  from  this  center !  What  hopes  cluster 
arolmd  it !  Blot  out  the  associations  of  Bethlehem  and  you 
plunge  our  world  into  moral  darkness,  ruin,  and  death. 

This  village  was  generally  called  "Bethlehem  of  Judea  "  to 
distinguish  it  from  another  place  of  the  same  name  in  the  tribe 
of  Zebulon,'  and  because  it  was  situated  in  the  "hill  country 
of  Judea,"  the  birthplace  of  John  the  Baptist.  This  mount- 
ainous district  extends  as  far  south  as  Hebron ;  and  it  was 
here,  among  these  hills,  about  four  miles  west  of  Bethlehem, 
near  the  old  road  leading  to  Gaza  and  not  far  from  Philip's 
Fountain,  where,  according  to  tradition,  the  Ethiopian  eunuch 
was  baptized,  that  John,  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  was  born. 

There  is  good  authority  for  believing  that  Zacharias  and 
Elizabeth  lived  in  this  neighborhood.     The  traditional  site  of 

'  Joshua  xix,  15. 


BTRTirPLACE    OF    .TOIIX    THE    BAPTIST.  197 

their  house  is  covered  by  the  old  Franciscan  Convent  of  St. 
John,  which  stands  on  a  fruitful  ridge  in  the  midst  of  the 
modern  village  of  Ain  Karim.  The  church  of  the  Convent  is 
a  massive  stone  structure,  with  a  graceful  dome  supported  by 
four  square  pillars.  Within,  the  walls  are  cased  with  porcelain 
tiles,  and  hung  with  rich  drapery  of  crimson  brocatel  silk.  A 
small  circular  chapel,  or  grotto,  cut  in  the  natural  rock,  to 
which  you  descend  by  seven  steps  on  the  left  of  the  high  altar, 
marks  the  supposed  spot  of  this  good  man's  birth. 

A  Latin  inscription  on  a  marble  slab  in  the  floor  states  that 
'*  Rere  the  forerunner  of  our  Lord  was  horn^''  and  the  paint- 
ings on  the  walls  give,  in  part,  the  details  of  his  eventful  life. 
On  the  right  John  is  represented  preaching  in  the  wilderness ; 
on  the  left  baptizing  Christ  in  the  Jordan  ;  and  under  the 
altar  on  one  side,  sculptured  beautifully  in  marble,  we  have  his 
birth  ;  on  the  other  side  his  tragic  death ;  and  in  the  center, 
as  an  altar-piece,  the  visit  of  the  Virgin  Mary  to  her  cousin 
Elizabeth,  mentioned  by  St.  Luke.  My  first  visit  to  this 
interesting  locality  was  in  company  with  Dr.  Newman  and  his 
wife.  It  was  a  beautiful  spring  day ;  and  as  we  rode  over  the 
hills,  gathering  wild  flowers  here  and  there  by  the  wayside,  we 
could  not  but  feel  that  perhaps  we  were  riding  along  the  same 
path  once  trodden  by  the  Mother  of  our  Lord. 

After  his  birth  but  little  is  knowm  of  John  until  he  com- 
menced his  public  ministrations  by  calling  sinners  to  rejientance. 
It  is  said  his  father  was  killed  by  the  monster,  llerod,  because 
he  refused  to  reveal  the  hiding-place  of  his  son ;  that  afterward 
John,  for  safety,  fled  into  "  the  wilderness  of  Judea,"  a  wild, 
desolate  region  east  of  his  native  hills,  where  he  remained  "  till 
the  day  of  his  showing  unto  Israel."  ' 

'  Luke  i,  80. 


198  BIBLE    LANDS. 

His  great  mission  was  to  prepare  the  nation  for  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah.  His  dress  was,  like  that  of  the  old  prophets, 
simply  a  garment  of  camel's  hair  fastened  with  a  leathern 
girdle,  and  his  meat  "  locusts  and  wild  honey."  In  his  lonely 
desert  abode,  living  on  this  rough  fare,  and  clad  in  his  coarse 
ra'ment,  God  was  preparing  this  remarkable  man  for  his  grcr.t 


work,  and  when  his  voice  was  heard  in  the  wilderness,  crying, 
"  Eepent  ye,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand ! "  so  in- 
tense was  the  desire  to  hear  him  that  great  multitudes  from 
"  Jerusalem  and  all  Judea  "  went  out  to  his  preaching.  Many 
thouo-ht  him  to  be  the  long-lookcd-for  Messiah,  others  Elijah, 


LOCUSTS    AJSD    WILD    HONEY.  I'JU 

or  one  of  the  old  prophets  returned  to  earth.  Among  the 
thousands  from  all  parts  who  attended  his  ministry,  Christ  also 
came  "  to  be  baptized  by  him,"  for  the  Son  of  God  must  fulfill 
the  law  in  this  respect  before  he  can  enter  upon  his  work  as  a 
teacher  in  Israel.  And  it  was  on  this  memorable  occasion  the 
Father  j>ubb'cly  acknowledged  his  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
Ni'.^ibly  descended  npon  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove.  John's 
mission  was  now  fulfilled,  his  dispensation  terminated,  and 
60(in  after  he  was  called  to  his  reward. 

From  our  observations  in  the  East  we  are  inclined  to  believe 
that  the  "  locusts  and  wild  honey,"  referred  to  as  the  diet  of 
John  the  Baptist,  was  the  fruit  of  the  carob-tree,  and  the  <Uhs, 
or  honey  extracted  therefrom.  The  popular  name  for  tliis 
tree  in  Talestine  is  "  the  locust,"  and  the  fruit  is  known  every- 
where as  the  "bread  of  St.  John."  In  Arabic  it  is  called 
^Arob,  from  the  horn-like  shape  of  its  pods  or  fruit,  which  are 
considered  very  wholesome,  and  are  always  found  in  the 
markets  among  the  other  fruits  of  the  land.  These  pods  are 
sometimes  called  "  husks,"  and  without  doubt  are  the  husks  the 
Prodigal  in  his  distress  would  fain  have  eaten. 

This  tree  is  found  all  over  Palestine.  Two  may  be  seen 
growing  on  the  side  of  Olivet,  jnst  above  the  Garden  of  Geth- 
semane.  It  is  a  dark  evergreen,  with  heavy  foliage,  affording 
a  delightful  shade,  and  bears  a  crescent-shaped  bean,  about  six 
inches  long  and  one  wide.  The  outside  of  this  bean,  when  ripe, 
is  a  dark  brown,  and  does  not  look  unlike  the  honey-locust  of 
America.  The  fruit  is  fed  to  horses,  cattle,  and  swine,  and  is  a 
common  article  of  food  among  the  natives.  Traveling  through 
the  country,  our  muleteers  appeared  to  live  almost  upon  these 
pods.  The  trees  are  generallj'  registei-cd  ;  property  in  them 
is    capital,    and    marriage    portions    are    frequently    given     in 


200  BIBLE    LANDS. 

"locusts,"  or  the  fruit  of  the  cdrob.  A  grove  of  these  trees  is 
considered  as  vahiable  as  a  vineyard  or  olive  grove,  and  a 
single  tree  often  yields  a  thuusaiid  i)ounds  of  pods,  which  are 
exported  in  large  quantities  to  Russia  and  elsewhere. 

The  fruit,  when  ripe,  contains  a  sweet  pulp,  which  is  ex- 
pressed and  made  into  a  honey  called  dihs,  which  is  the  honey 
in  general  use  among  the  peasantry  of  Palestine.  Sometimes, 
when  a  pod  is  stung  by  a  bee,  honey  will  ooze  from  the  wound 
and  drop  to  the  ground.  May  not  this  have  been  the  honey 
Jonathan  found  in  the  wood  when  pursuing  the  Philistines'^  ' 

The  Hebrew  word  dehash,  which  so  often  occurs  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  is  translated  "  honey  "  in  our  version,  refers 
generally  to  vegetable  honey,  distilled  as  dibs  from  the  pods  of 
these  trees,  or  to  any  sweet  glutinous  substance,  as  the  syrup 
of  grapes  and  dates.  It  was  this,  and  not  bee-honey,  with 
which  Israel  supplied  the  market  of  Tyre,  and  that  Jacob  sent 
as  a  present  to  Joseph  in  Egypt.  It  has  the  appearance  of 
granulated  honey,  is  often  used  instead  of  sugar,  and  is  com- 
monly known  as  "  wild  honey."  As  John  was  an  austere  man, 
this,  more  than  hkely,  was  the  honey  he  used,  bee-honey  being 
considered  a  great  delicacy  and  only  eaten  by  the  rich.  It  is 
also  more  than  probable  that  the  locusts  he  ate  were  not  the 
insect,  but  pods  of  the  carob-tree. 

Josephus  gives  an  accuunt  uf  a  tutor  of  his  who  "  lived  in 
the  desert  for  many  years  on  fuod  that  grew  of  its  own  ac- 
cord ; "  he  also  mentions  "  huney  exuding  from  the  trees,"  and 
of  living  in  the  wilderness  himself  for  three  years,  on  no  other 
meat  than  that  which  grew  therein. 

John  must  have  been  in  the  desert  for  several  years.  The 
insect  locust  is  not  common  to  Palestine.     Their  visits  are  re- 

'  1  Samuel  xiv,  26. 


FRUIT    OF    THE    CATJOB-TREE. 


201 


garded  as  severe  scourges.  They  come  but  seldom,  often  at 
intervals  of  many  years,  and  only  remain  for  a  short  time,  so 
could  not  be  relied  upon  as  an  article  of  daily  food. 

Those  who  entertain  the  opjjosite  view,  and  contend  for  the 
insect,  confound  it  with  the  locust  of  Arabia,  which  is  eaten  in 
that  country,  but  is  a  different  species  altogether  from  the 
locust  of  Palestine  and  Mesopotamia.  The  Arabian  locust  is  a 
large  reddish-brown  insect,  about  two  and  a  half  inches  long, 
thick  as  your  linger,  and  has  "  no  king."  '  The  other  is  only 
half  that  size,  of  a  pale  green  color,  like  our  grasshopper,"  has 
a  leader  or  queen,  the  same  as  bees,  and  is  never  eaten,  not 
even  by  the  Bedouin  of  the  desert. 

'  Proverbs  xxx,  27.  ^  Amos  vii,  1. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

POOLS  OP'  SOLOMON CAVE  OF  ADULLAM TOJIB  OF  HEROD 

Water  Supply  of  Jerusalem — Great  Reservoirs — Ancient  Aqueducts — Gardens  ol 
Solomon — Cave  of  Adullam — David  and  Saul — Tckoa,  the  Home  of  Amoa— 
Eerodium,  the  Tomb  of  Herod. 

TIIOUGII  Jerusalem  is  situated  on  one  of  the  liiglicst 
mountain  ranges  in  Palestine,  and  so  far  as  known  has 
neither  a  spring  nor  well  of  living  water  within  it,  few  cities 
were  ever  better  supplied  with  purer  or  better  water.  In  all 
the  protracted  sieges  the  place  has  undergone  the  complaint 
was  never  heard  of  any  scarcity  of  water.  But  from  the  flow 
of  water  in  the  Virgin's  Fountain,  Pool  of  Siloam,  and  Joab's 
"Well,  and  from  frequent  reference  in  the  ancient  history  of 
Jerusalem  to  the  brook  that  ran  through  the  "  midst  of  the 
land,"  and  to  "  the  Fountain  "  or  outflo^\^ng  waters  "  of  Gihon," 
there  must  have  been  one  or  more  living  streams  near  the  city 
before  Ilezekiah  sealed  or  stopped  up  their  course  "  to  cut  off 
the  supply  from  the  Assyrian  king ; "  and  these  springs  may 
Btill  flow  by  subterranean  channels  into  the  Temple  inclosure, 
and  through  "  the  Well  of  the  Leaf,"  down  to  "  the  waters  of 
Shiloah  that  go  softly." '  The  city  is  now  entirely  supplied  with 
rain  water  caught  during  the  rainy  season  in  rock-hewn  cisterns, 
but  from  numerous  large  reservoirs  of  great  antiquity,  now 
mostly  dry,  both  within  and  without  the  walls,  the  principal 
supply  of  water  must  always  have  been  from  a  distance.  Traces 
may  still  be  seen  of  five  broken  aqueducts  from  ten  to  thirty 

202  •  Isaiah  viii,  6. 


POOLvS    OF    SOLOMON. 


203 


jniles  long  entering  tlie  city  from  the  south,  three  of  which 
•connected  these  ancient  reservoirs  with  the  Pools  of  Solomon. 
These  famous  pools  are  situated  among  the  mountains  near 
the  head  of  Wady  Urtas,  three  miles  south  of  Bethlehem,  and 
drain  at  least  sixty  square  miles  of  surface.  There  are  three 
basins  of  massive  masonry  in  good  preservation,  measuring  in 
the  aggregate  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  eiglity  five  feet 
long,  by  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  wide,  and  about  forty  feet 
deep. 


SOLOMON'S     POOLS. 


Great  engineering  skill  lias  been  displayed  in  the  construc- 
tion of  these  pools  on  successive  terraces  one  below  another,  so 
that  the  lower  one  catches  the  overflow  of  those  above  ;  and  no 
less  ingenuity  in  concealing  the  sources  of  the  fountains  from 
their  enemies,  and  collecting  the  waters  of  remote  springs  in  tun- 
nels under  the  mountains — one  of  those  tunnels  being  four  miles 
long,  and  connected  with  secret  conduits  conveying  the  fresh, 
cool  stream  into  the  Holy  City.     One  of  the  aqueducts — a  por- 


204 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


tion  of  wliicli  may  be  seen  near  Racliers  Tonil) — is  constructed 
on  tlie  siplionic  principle,  not  curving  i-ound  the  liills  on  a  level, 
as  the  Komans  constructed  theirs,  but  following  the  elevations 
and  depressions  of  the  country.  The  pipe  is  made  of  large 
stones  with  a  hole  sixteen  inches  in  diameter  drilled  through 


SEALED   EOINTAIX. 

tliem.  These  blocks  are  nicely  jointed,  similar  to  the  cast- 
iron  pipes  now  in  use,  the  sections  fitting  as  snugly^  as  if 
ground  into  each  other,  and  the  whole  tube  imbedded  in  rub- 
ble-work and  coated  with  cement  mixed  with  oil,  rendering 
it  both  air  and  water-tight.  Openings  were  left  on  the  high- 
est points  to  relieve  the  pressure  when  too  great.  Altogether 
it  is  a  most  wonderful  piece  of  workmanship,  reflecting  great 
credit  on  the  wisdom  of  Solomon. 


CAVE    OF    ADULLAM.  205 

It  was  also  here  in  tliis  once  lovely  valley,  just  below  the 
pools,  that  Solomon  satisfied  himself  in  regard  to  the  riches 
and  pleasures  of  this  world.  Here  he  built  his  summer  palace, 
to  which,  Josephus  says,  he  drove  in  his  chariot  every  morn- 
ing ;  here  he  planted  vineyards  and  gardens  and  orchards  of 
all  kinds  of  fruit,  and  yielded  to  the  gratification  of  every 
desire  of  his  heart,  "that  he  might  see  what  was  good  for  the 
sons  of  men."  The  Yalley  of  Etam — now  Urtas — is  still  here, 
well  watered,  and  one  of  the  richest  in  Palestine.  A  few 
garden  patches  along  it  arc  still  under  cultivation,  and  the 
remains  of  ancient  buildings  may  still  be  seen  here  and  there ; 
otherwise,  the  picture  is  one  of  utter  desolation ;  the  palaces 
and  pleasure  grounds  of  Solomon  are  no  mol'e,  showing  the 
correctness  of  the  royal  Preacher's  conclusion,  "  Behold,  all  is 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit."  ' 

A  short  distance  above  this,  near  the  old  road  to  Hebron,  in 
a  cleft  of  the  rocks,  is  one  of  the  reputed  hiding-places  of  Sam- 
son after  avenging  himself  on  the  Philistines  for  the  burning 
of  his  wife,  and,  what  is  remarkable,  the  very  name  of  Etam  is 
still  applied  to  some  ruins  among  the  rocks  close  by  the 
pools  ;  and  all  the  natural  features  of  the  place  agree  fully  with 
the  narrative  of  Samson's  adventure. 

About  one  and  a  half  hour's  ride  down  the  ravine  from  Sol- 
omon's Pools,  and  about  the  same  distance  east  of  Bethlehem, 
where  the  valley  assumes  the  features  of  a  wild  gorge  cutting 
its  way  down  to  the  Dead  Sea,  is  the  traditional  Cave  of 
Ad  Lillam. 

This  is  a  large  natural  cavern  on  the  south  side  of  "Wady 
Urtas,  supposed  to  be  the  same  to  which  David  fled  from  the 
King  of  Gath,  and  where  he  probably  cut  off  the  skirt  of  Saul's 

'  Ecclesiastes  i,  14 


206  BIBLE    LANDS. 

garment,  as  these  two  events  appear  to  have  occnrrcd  in  tlic  same 
vicinity.  It  is  now  known  as  Klmreitun,  from  Cliariton,  a 
monk  wlio  founded  a  convent  here  at  an  early  day ;  tlie  old 
name,  however,  is  still  retained  by  the  El  DhuUam  Arabs  in 
this  neighborhood. 

On  onr  way  to  this  romantic  spot  we  did  not  follow  the  val- 
ley, but  rode  over  the  hills  once  the  favorite  resort  of  David 
when  in  charge  of  his  father's  flocks,  passing  many  shepherds 
with  their  sheep  and  goats,  some  of  them  mere  lads  with  their 
slings,  others  who  were  older,  playing  on  a  rude  instniment 
like  the  clarionet,  recalling  the  comely  son  of  Jesse  when  a 
shepherd  boy  on  these  same  hills,  and  who  probably  here  took 
his  first  lessons  on  the  sackbut  and  harp,  and  composed  some 
of  those  immortal  psalms  that  form  so  appropriate  a  part  in  the 
worship  of  God.' 

The  cave  is  in  the  north  face  of  a  precipitous  mountain,  and 
the  only  approach  to  it  is  along  a  narrow  shelving  rock  over- 
hanging the  dry  bed  of  the  stream  a  hundred  feet  below.  Near 
the  entrance  a  mass  of  rock  has  fallen  from  above,  blocking  up 
entirely  the  path,  so  that  no  one  can  now  enter  without  clam- 
bering over  this  obstruction  on  hands  and  knees  with  great 
diflSculty,  and  in  constant  danger  of  slipping  of!  into  the  chasm 
beneath. 

The  mouth  of  the  cave  is  very  narrow,  admitting  only  one 
person  at  a  time;  however,  once  within,  ample  room  is  found 
for  double  the  number  that  at  any  one  time  were  with  David 
in  his  hiding-place.  From  the  entrance  winding  galleries  lead 
in  different  directions,  and  opening  out  of  these  are  many  small 
grottoes  where  a  man  could  easily  conceal  himself,  and  cut  off 

'  Psalms  cxlii  and  cx'iili  were  pmbablv  written  in  this  cave,  beinc  "the  ornver  of 
David  when  in  the  ciivo." 


CAVE    OF    ADULLAM. 


2or 


the  garment  or  head  of  an  enemy  without  being  seen.  About 
fifty  feet  from  the  main  entrance  you  come  to  a  grand  hall  over 
one  hundred  feet  long  by  perhaps  fifty  feet  wide  and  thirty  feet 
high,  looking  very  much  like  an  old  Gothic  church,  tlie  vaulted 
ceiling   of   which   was   covered  with    bats.     Several    passages 


VE  OF  ADULLAM. 


branch  oS  from  this  chamber  to  others  of  less  dimension  ;  one  of 
these  passage  ways,  through  which  you  must  crawl  like  a  serpent 
in  the  dust,  with  torch  in  hand,  and  almost  suffocated  from  the 
heat  and  smoke,  brings  you  to  a  room  with  an  opening  in  the 


208  BIBLE   LANDS. 

floor  down  which  you  drop  about  ten  feet  into  another  large  hall, 
with  something  like  a  cistern  in  the  center,  now  tilled  up  with 
the  bones  of  different  animals.  May  not  this  have  been  "  the 
hold  "  of  Israel's  anointed  king  referred  to  by  David  ? '  Other 
galleries  lead  from  this  apartment  to  halls  Btill  more  remote, 
seemingly  without  end,  wliich  we  did  not  explore  as  we  had 
reached  the  "  end  of  our  rope,"  and  dare  not  venture  beyond 
its  length,  as  our  guides  assured  us  we  could  go  on  until  we 
heard  the  smiths  of  Hebron  hammering  over  our  heads.  We 
found  the  cave  dry  and  the  air  pure,  though  strongly  tainted 
with  the  smell  of  jackals,  hyenas,  and  other  wild  beasts,  that 
find  in  its  numerous  grottoes  a  warm  and  safe  retreat,  making 
its  exploration  rather  dangerous  as  you  have  to  advance  very 
cautiously,  with  revolver  in  hand,  not  knowing  what  moment 
you  may  meet  with  some  ferocious,  half-starvdd  beast. 

This  has  long  been  regarded  as  the  veritable  Cave  of  Adullam  ; 
though,  of  course,  in  a  country  wliere  caves  abound,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  iix  with  certainty  on  any  particular  one.  William  of 
Tyre  locates  Adullam  six  miles  east  of  Bethlehem  toward  the 
Dead  Sea,  which  is  the  exact  distance  and  locality  of  this  cave. 
David,  also,  must  have  been  familiar  with  every  spot  in  this 
wild  region,  as  it  was  here  he  smote  "  the  lion  and  the  bear  " 
when  he  kept  his  father's  "  few  sheep  in  the  wilderness  ; "  and 
he  would  naturally  seek  refuge  in  some  favorite  haunt  among 
"  the  rocks  of  the  wild  goats,"  where  his  knowledge  of  the  coun- 
try would  add  greatly  to  his  security. 

Some  locate  the  cave  near  the  supposed  city  of  Adullam  in 
tlie  plain  country  of  Judali.  There  is,  however,  nothing  in 
the  text  to  warrant  the  location  of  the  cave  near  the  city  of  that 
name,  even  if  the  site  of  the  old  city  could  be  identilied  ;  and 

'  1  Samuel  xxii.  4 


HIDDfG-PLACE    OF   DAVTD.  209 

it  is  not  likely  that  David  would  select  a  retreat  so  near  his 
enemies,  where  he  could  not  possibly  hope  to  conceal  himseli 
and  four  hundred  followers  for  any  length  of  time.  Then, 
no  cave  near  Gath,  or  on  the  plains  of  Phihstia,  would  meet  the 
conditions  of  the  narrative,  for  it  appears  that  "when  his  breth- 
ren and  all  his  father's  house,"  who  lived  at  Bethlehem,  heard 
that  he  was  in  the  Cave  of  Adullam,  "  they  went  down  thither 
to  him,"  '  which  could  not  truthfully  be  said  of  any  cave  west  of 
the  mountains  of  Judea.  It  was  from  Adullam  he  took  his 
aged  parents  for  protection  to  "  Mizpeh  of  Moab,"  beyond  Jor- 
dan, which  he  could  not  have  done  from  the  plain  country  with- 
out passing  through  the  lines  of  the  Philistines,  It  was  also 
when  here  that  the  three  mighty  men  came  down  to  him,  and 
brought  him  water  from  "  the  well  of  Bethlehem,  that  was  by 
the  gate,"  which  they  could  easily  do  from  the  locality  we  have 
named,  but  not  in  any  reasonable  length  of  time  from  beyond 
the  mountains  near  Gath,  as  the  whole  distance  traversed,  near 
forty  miles  there  and  back,  would  have  been  through  the  ene- 
my's country.  Prom  the  whole  narrative  it  appears  that  Adul- 
lam was  a  large  natural  cave  below  Bethlehem,  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Judea.  So  the  small-  artificial  caves  near  some  ruins, 
supposed  to  be  those  of  the  city  of  Adullam,  not  far  from 
Gath,  do  not  meet  a  single  condition  of  the  scriptural  account. 
From  here,  David,  after  his  return  from  Moab,  went  into 
"  the  wilderness  of  Maon,"  a  day's  journey  to  the  south  of  this, 
"  and  dwelt  in  strong-holds  at  Engedi,"  on  the  borders  of  the 
Dead  Sea ;  after  which  he  probably  returned  to  Adullam,  as 
Saul  found  him  here  on  his  way  to  Engedi.  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  place  where  David  and  Saul  met  was  not  at  Engedi, 
but  "  by  the  way  "  '  to  Engedi.     And  the  cave  we  have  been 

'  1  Samuel  xxii,  1,  *  1  Samuel  xxir,  S. 

14 


210  BIBLE   LANDS. 

describing  is  on  the  direct  road  from  BetUehem  to  Engedi, 
and  meets  all  the  conditions  of  the  case  better  than  any  other. 

On  the  hill  directly  above  the  cave  of  Adullam  is  Tekoa, 
the  birthplace  of  the  Prophet  Amos,  who  in  his  defense  before 
the  king,  when  accused  of  troubling  Israel,  meekly  said :  "  I 
was  no  prophet,  neither  was  I  a  prophet's  son,  but  I  was  a 
herdman,  and  a  gatherer  of  sycamore  fruit ; '  and  the  Lord 
took  me  as  I  followed  the  flock,  and  the  Lord  said  unto  me,  Go, 
prophesy  unto  my  people  Israel." '  No  doubt,  on  these  very 
hills  this  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord  often  gathered  wild  figs, 
and  pastured  his  herds  and  flocks,  and  in  some  one  of  the  many 
rock-cut  tombs  in  the  neighborhood  his  ashes  still  repose,  await- 
ing the  hour  when  aU  who  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake  to  life  again. 

About  midway  between  Adullam  and  Bethlehem,  half  a 
mile  north  of  "Wady  Urtas,  is  a  remarkable  truncated  cone, 
overlooking  the  Wilderness  of  Judea  and  Yalley  of  the  Jordan 
for  many  miles.  The  natives  call  it  Jebel  Fureidis — "  Hill  of 
Paradise,"  but  it  is  more  generally  known  as  the  Frank  Mount- 
ain, or  Herodium.  Herod,  according  to  Josephus,  built  a  strong 
fortress  and  splendid  palace  not  far  from  Tekoa,  and  sixty 
stadia,  or  about  eight  miles,  from  Jerusalem ;  which  agrees  pre- 
cisely with  this  site.  The  cone  rises  from  a  high  plateau,  and 
its  upper  section,  of  perhaps  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  ap- 
pears to  be  artificial,  the  ascent  to  which  was  by  a  marble  stair- 
case on  the  north  side,  traces  of  which  stiU  remain.  There 
may  also  have  been  a  secret  entrance  from  below  and  up 
through  the  interior,  as  the  top  is  deeply  sunken  in  the  center, 
like  a  great  well-hole.     The  only  ruins  to  be  seen  on  the  sum- 

'  The  sycamore  tree  of  Palestine  bears  a  fruit  called  by  the  natives  wild  figs. 
•  Amos  vii,  14. 


FRANK  MOUNTAIN,  OR  HERODIUM.        211 

mit  are  two  walls  built  in  a  perfect  circle  of  beveled  stones, 
one  within  the  other,  tliirty  feet  apart,  the  outer  one  about  one 
thousand  feet  in  circumference,  the  inner  one  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  with  circular  towers  at  the  four  cardinal  points, 
forty  feet  in  diameter,  beneath  which  are  vaults  and  other  sub- 
terranean works.  At  the  base  of  the  hill  are  extensive  ruins  of 
other  fortifications  and  palaces,  and  a  large  square  reservoir 
with  the  remains  of  a  building  in  the  center,  perhaps  a  swim- 
ming bath.  These  are,  without  doubt,  the  ruins  of  the  once 
magnificent  palace  and  tomb  of  Herod  the  Great. 

But  little  is  known  of  the  ancestry  of  the  Herodian  family. 
From  the  most  reliable  authority  their  origin  was  very  obscure, 
Antipater,  the  father  of  Herod  I.,  being  the  son  of  a  slave  taken 
prisoner  at  Ascalon  by  Idumean  robbers.  At  least  the  family 
came  from  Idumea,  and  were  Jews  only  by  conquest  and 
adoption.  Herod  the  Great,  when  quite  young,  was  made 
governor  of  Galilee  under  Julius  Caesar,  and  afterward  ap- 
pointed king  of  Judea  by  Marc  Antony  B.C.  40. 

Though  cruel  and  bitter  toward  his  enemies,  he  was  a  man 
of  great  energy  and  foresight,  and  did  more  for  the  develop- 
ment of  his  country  than  any  of  his  successors.  He  was  am- 
bitious to  leave  great  monuments  of  his  power  to  posterity, 
and  to  establish  a  kingdom  equal  in  splendor  and  extent  to 
Solomon's,  but  not  on  a  religious  basis — using  Judaism  merely 
as  a  bond  of  union  to  hold  his  kingdom  together. 

Fond  of  ostentation  and  display,  he  was  lavish  in  the  distri- 
bution of  his  means ;  courting  the  favor  of  Caesar  by  founding 
cities  in  honor  of  his  name ;  of  the  Jews,  by  enlarging  and 
beautifying  their  temple;  and  of  the  people  in  general,  by 
building  palaces  and  public  edifices  of  every  kind,  the  remains 
of  which  are  among  the  grandest  ruins  to  be  found  in  Palestine 


212  BIBLE   LANDS. 

to-day.  A  man  of  strong  passions,  vain,  unscrupulous,  and 
sellisL,  he  hesitated  not  to  rob  the  tomb  of  David,  and  put  to 
death  all  the  Sanhedrin  who  opposed  his  measures.  He  also, 
under  suspicions  of  intrigue,  caused  the  death  of  his  favorite 
wife  and  three  of  his  own  sons,  and  with  the  children  of  Beth- 
lehem would  have  slain  the  Saviour  of  our  world  but  for  divine 
interposition.  Beneficent,  but  brutish,  he  showed  great  con- 
tempt for  pubhc  opinion,  treated  his  subjects  as  mere  slaves, 
and  even  planned  the  massacre  of  the  principal  men  of  his 
court  in  the  event  of  his  own  death,  that  the  whole  nation 
might  be  thrown  into  mourning.  After  reigning  over  forty 
years  he  died  a  most  terrible  death  at  Jericho,  about  two  years 
after  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  was  buried  in  great  pomp  in  his 
royal  tomb  at  Herodium. 

Thus  nerod  the  Great  passed  away  from  earth ;  his  kingdom, 
also,  has  long  since  fallen  to  pieces.  Of  all  his  public  works 
not  a  city,  fortress,  or  palace  remains  to  perpetuate  his  name. 
Scarcely  a  stone  of  his  grand  mausoleum  is  left,  and  the  jackals 
that  burrow  in  his  grave  have  long  ago  scattered  liis  ashes  to 
the  four  winds  of  heaven  ;  while  the  infant  King  he  sought  to 
destroy  still  lives,  and  reigns,  and  shall  forever  live  and  reign, 
for  of  "  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 


CHAPTER  X. 

HEBKON CAVE    OF   JIACHPELAH BEER-SHEBA. 

indent  City  of  Arba — Plain  of  Mamre — Valley  of  Eshcol — Oak  of  Abraham—- 
Cave  of  Machpelah — Tomb  of  the  Patriarchs — Solemn  Reflections — Beer- 
Sheba — Kadesh-Bamea — Merabah-Kadesh — The  Smitten  Rock. 

lyTO  city  on  earth  can  claim  sucli  a  long  continuous  history  aa 
±y  Hebron  ;  certainly  the  oldest  populated  city  in  Palestine, 
if  not  in  the  world.  Before  Rome,  or  Nineveh,  or  Memphis, 
Hebron  was.  It  is  mentioned  even  before  Damascus,  and  on 
the  best  authority,  "was  built  seven  years  before  Zoan  in 
Egypt,"  the  Tanis  of  the  Greeks.  Zoan  has  been  in  ruins  for 
two  thousand  years,  its  very  site  is  in  dispute,  while  Hebron 
looks  as  fresh  and  thriving  as  any  modern  Oriental  city.  It  ap- 
pears also  to  have  had  a  still  more  remote  antiquity,  being 
originally  known  as  Kirjath-Arba — the  "  City  of  Arba,"  the 
father  of  Anak,  from  whom  sprang  the  powerful  race  known 
as  giants,  who  occupied  the  land  in  the  days  of  Joshua  and 
Caleb. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  community  existing  through 
80  many  ages,  marked  by  so  many  social,  religious,  and  political 
changes — of  a  city,  still  astir  with  life,  that  must  have  been 
standing  long  before  Joseph  was  sold  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and 
befoi"e  a  verse  of  the  Bible  was  written  ;  and  the  possibility  of 
identifying,  after  so  long  a  period,  the  city  where  David  was 
crowned  king  over  all  Israel,  the  valley  where  the  s])ies  cut 
the  great  "cluster  of  grapes,"  the  plain  whore  tlio  tent  of 
Abraham  was  pitched  when  he  entertained  the  anuels,  and  the 


214  BIBLE   LANDS. 

very  cave  of  Machpelah  where  the  ashes  of  the  patriarchs 
repose,  seems  incredulous.  And  yet,  all  these  places,  so 
fraught  with  interest,  are  still  here,  and  may  be  visited  any  day. 

Hebron  is  beautifully  situated  in  the  Yalley  of  Eshcol,  among 
olive  groves  and  vineyards,  and  near  the  summit  of  the  high- 
est ranges  of  the  Judean  Mountains.  This  fruitful  valley  is 
still  noted  for  its  fine  grapes,  single  "  clusters  "  of  which  may 
still  be  found  here  that  would  require  two  men  to  carry. 

The  present  name  of  the  city  was  probably  given  in  com- 
phment  to  Abraham,  the  Arabic  meaning  of  Hebron  being  the 
City  of  the  "  Friend  of  God,"  Abraham  having  settled  here 
soon  after  parting  with  his  nephew.  Lot,  on  their  return  from 
Eg}'p)t.  Here  he  abode  for  many  years,  here  Isaac  also  lived, 
and  here  Sarah  died. 

The  associations  of  the  place  were  enough  to  inspire  the 
heart  of  the  venerable  Caleb  with  courage ;  and  it  is  no  wonder, 
that  he,  after  the  conquest  of  the  country,  when  tendered  the 
first  choice  of  the  whole  land,  selected  this,  the  roughest  por- 
tion, as  an  inheritance  for  himseK  and  family. 

About  one  mile  up  the  Yalley  of  Eshcol,  north  of  Hebron, 
and  the  only  point  in  the  neighborhood  that  overlooks  the 
Yalley  of  the  Dead  Sea,  or  from  which  the  smoke  of  burning 
Sodom  could  be  seen,  is  the  plain,  or  more  properly  the 
grove,  of  Mamre,  only  another  name  for  Hebron,  the  first  per- 
manent home  of  the  patriarchs  in  Canaan. 

Near  the  foundations  of  some  very  old  buildings  may  still 
be  seen  the  grand  old  "  Oak  of  Abraham ;"  not  a  terebinth,  but 
a  sturdy,  evergreen  oak,  with  broad-spreading  branches ;  a  beau- 
tiful symbol  of  the  patriarch  whose  name  it  bears,  and  whose 
spotless  life,  after  the  lapse  of  ages,  is  still  fresh  and  green  in 
the  memory  of  the  Church.     The  tree  will  girt  over  twenty 


ABRAHAJI'S    OAK. 


215 


feet,  is  very  much  like  the  oaks  on  Carmel  and  in  the  forests 
of  Baslian,  and  if  not  the  identical  one  under  which  the  Jews 
were  sold  by  their  Roman  conquerors  after  the  fall  of  Bether, 
it  certainly  marks  the  spot,  and  is  a  descendant  of  the  famous 
grove  in  which  Abraham  and  Sarah  j^itched  their  tent  nearly 
four  thousand  years  ao;o. 


OAK    OF    ABRAHAM. 


'— -       _-^^'5^-'-' 


But  the  point  of  greatest  interest  about  Hebron  is  the  Field 
and  Cave  of  Machpelah,  purchased  by  Abraham  from  "  Ephron 
the  Hittite "  as  a  place  of  sepulture  for  himself  and  family. 
There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  in  reference  to  the  locality 
of  this  tomb;  all  history  and  tradition  fix  it  exactly  where 
pointed  out,  within  the  walls  of  the  great  mosque,  which  the 


216  BIBLE    LANDS. 

Mohammedaus  guard  with  religious  jealousy  as  one  of  their 
four  holy  places,  and  is  known  among  them  as  the  Haram,  and 
Castle  of  Abraham.  The  name  Machpelah  would  indicate 
a  double  cave,  and  we  were  told  by  the  sheik  of  the  mosque — a 
personal  friend  on  whose  word  we  could  rely — that  under  the 
elevated  platform  of  the  Haram  there  are  two  large  natural 
grottoes,  one  above  the  other;  that  the  patriarchs  and  their 
wives  were  buried  in  the  lower  one,  and  that  the  upper  one 
is  also  full  of  human' bones,  which  is  more  than  probable,  as  it 
was  the  custom  of  the  old  Israelites  to  gather  the  bones  of 
their  forefathers  from  all  parts  of  the  land  and  deposit  them  in 
or  near  this  mausoleum  of  their  great  ancestor. 

The  walls  inclosing  this  sacred  spot  tower  above  every  thing 
else,  and  are  the  most  conspicuous  objects  in  the  city.  They 
are  about  seven  hundred  feet  in  circuit,  ornamented  with  pilas- 
ters without  capitals,  and  of  great  strength ;  agreeing  in  every 
respect  with  the  description  given  by  Josephus,  and  are  evi- 
dently of  Jewish  or  Phoenician  workmanship.  Jewish  tradition 
attributes  tliem  to  David,  which  is  very  possible,  as  this  was 
his  royal  city  and  the  capital  of  Judah,  down  to  the  capture  of 
the  "  Castle  of  Zion  "  from  the  Jebusites. 

The  mosque,  which  stands  at  the  southern  end  of  this  in- 
closure,  appears  to  have  been  built  for  a  Christian  church 
during  the  Justinian  age,  and  beyond  doubt  covers  the  tomb 
which  contains  all  that  remains  on  earth  of  the  chosen  progeni- 
tors of  the  nation,  through  whom,  in  the  fullness  of  time,  came 
the  Messiah  of  our  world.  Christians  are  not  admitted  into  the 
cave — scarcely  allowed  to  touch  the  outer  wall — and  the  Mo- 
hammedans, owing  to  their  great  reverence  for  the  dead,  con- 
nected with  the  superstitious  dread  of  the  place,  seldom  or 
never   enter  it ;  many    entertaining   the   idea   that   whoever 


CAVE    OF   MACHPELAH.  217 

attempts  to  intrude  will  be  instantly  struck  with  blindness  or 
death. 

The  question  as  to  whether  the  embalmed  body  of  Jacob  is 
stiU  here  must  for  the  present  remain  unsettled,  as  we  have 
no  reliable  account  of  any  one  ever  going  beyond  the  entrance 
to  the  cave,  and  no  one  is  Hkely  to  do  so  soon,  as  the  door 
leading  to  it  is  now  securely  closed.  The  Prince  of  Wales  and 
a  few  others,  have  been  admitted  into  the  mosque,  but  no 
further.  The  six  cenotaphs  here  seen  are  nothing  more  than 
coffin-shaped  shrines  representing  the  real  tombs  that  are  in  the 
grotto  below.  The  first  you  come  to  on  entering  the  mosque, 
in  a  Kttle  chapel  to  the  right,  cased  with  marble  and  closed 
with  silver  gates,  is  the  shrine  of  Abraham ;  and  directly  oppo- 
site, to  the  left,  Sarah's,  in  a  similar  chapel,  both  covered  with 
green  velvet  drapery  embroidered  with  gold.  Two  other 
chapels,  near  the  center  of  the  mosque,  contain  memorials  of 
Isaac  and  Rebekah.  The  shrines  of  Jacob  and  Leah  are  in  a 
cloister  opposite  the  entrance,  at  the  farther  end  of  the  court. 
A  small  hole  in  the  marble  floor  near  the  shrine  of  Abraham, 
through  which  a  lamp  is  suspended  said  to  be  kept  constantly 
burning,  is  the  only  opening  to  the  cavern  below;  and  as 
you  peer  down  into  the  darkness  thousands  of  prayers  written 
on  little  slips  of  paper,  may  be  seen  lying  around  thrown 
through  this  hole,  under  the  superstitious  belief  that  all  prayers 
offered  here  wiU  be  surely  answered.  In  the  floor  at  the  other 
end  of  the  mosque,  to  the  right  of  the  nave,  is  a  marble  trap- 
door, large  enough  to  admit  a  man,  and  apparently  leading  to 
the  cave  below.  This  door  is  now  closed  with  iron  clamps, 
and  concealed  with  Persian  rugs.  The  probabihty  is  a  stair- 
case leads  from  here  down  to  the  tombs,  but  is  no  longer  used- 
All  the  natural  features  of  this  locality,  together  with  the 


218  BIBLE   LANDS. 

Moslem  traditions  concerning  these  shrines,  and  the  religious 
awe  with  wliich  thej  approach  them,  agree  remarkably  with 
the  biblical  narrative,  and  it  is  impossible  for  the  devout 
mind  to  contemplate  the  events  that  have  transpired  here, 
without  feeling  the  force  and  truth  of  the  Psalmist's  declara- 
tion, "Surely  the  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remem- 
brance." 

As  we  sat  in  the  grove  near  the  city,  under  the  shade  of  an 
olive-tree,  absorbed  in  meditation,  what  recollections  of  the 
past  were  awakened.  There  was  Mamre,  the  favorite  camping- 
ground  of  the  patriarchs,  where  the  Chaldean  shepherd  sat 
in  the  door  of  his  tent  and  served  his  hasty  meal  in  the  cooling 
shade  to  the  angels  who  honored  him  with  their  visit.  Down 
the  valley  yonder  winds  the  path  along  which  Joseph,  the 
Hebrew,  must  have  traveled,  after  being  sold  by  his  brethren 
to  the  Midianites.  And  down  the  same  Valley  of  Eshcol  Jacob 
also,  in  after  years,  must  have  journeyed  on  his  way  to  Egypt, 
to  see  his  long-lost  son.  Here,  too,  by  the  road-side,  is  an 
ancient  pool,  looking  old  enough  to  be  the  same  over  which 
David  caused  the  murderers  of  Ish-bosheth  to  be  hung.  And 
just  beyond  the  pool  on  the  hill-side  facing  the  west,  is  "  the 
Field  of  Ephron,"  and  Cave  of  Machpelah,  probably  the  only 
piece  of  ground  Abraham  ever  owned  in  fee,  purchased  as 
a  family  tomb  on  the  occasion  of  Sarah's  death,  she  being  the 
first  to  occupy  it ;  then  Abraham  himself  was  buried  there, 
his  sons  Isaac  and  Ishmael  performing  the  ceremony.  Next,  in 
a  good  old  age,  Isaac  was  gathered  unto  his  people,  and  buried 
there  with  his  parents ;  and  after  him  Rebekah  and  Leah  were 
laid  in  the  shades  of  this  same  tomb.  The  last  solemn  service 
of  this  character  performed  here  excelled  all  others  in  magni- 
tude and  pomp.     Jacob  had  gone  down  to  Egypt  and  become 


:''^i  TS'^WllffiiiiriJ    ii  wim  |iiii|iiiii|ipi|i|iiiiiiii!miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiti|iPiiiniM 


TOMB    OF    THE    PATKIARCHS.  221 

the  father  of  a  numerous  family.  Joseph  was  next  to  Pharaoh 
in  position,  and  when  his  father  died  there  was  great  lamenta- 
tion, the  highest  honors  were  paid  Israel,  his  body  was  em- 
balmed, and  with  all  the  pageantry  of  royalty,  attended  by  horse- 
men, chariots,  and  a  great  multitude  of  mourners,  they  brouo-ht 
his  remains  up  to  Hebron,  and  laid  him  with  his  kindred 
in  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  where  possibly  his  body  may  yet  be 


VVKLL   OK  ABilAllA.-. 


found  undisturbed  and  uncori-upted.  What  a  find  that  would 
be !  One  has  strange  feelings  standing  by  the  grave  of  such 
men  as  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob ;  men  who  lived  so  many 
ages  ago ;  men  who  communed  face  to  face  with  Jehovah,  and 
through  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  are  to  be  blessed. 

Twenty  miles  south  of  Hebron,  on  the  undulating  plain  of 
rich  pasture  lands  lying  between  the  hill  country  of  Judea  and 
the  Desert,  is  Beer-sheba,  one  of  the  old  landmarks  defining 
the  southern  boundary  of  Palestine. 

Abraham  removed  here  from  Hebron  soon  after  the  destruc- 


222  BIBLE   LANDS. 

tion  of  the  cities  of  the  plain.  It  was  here  he  "  planted  a  grove," 
and  dug  the  celebrated  well  that  still  bears  his  name.  This  well 
is  over  twelve  feet  in  diameter  and  not  less  than  fifty  feet  deep, 
mostly  hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock,  with  many  deep  grooves  in 
its  coping,  worn  by  the  friction  of  the  ropes  in  drawing  water 
through  so  many  centuries.  There  are  other  wells  and  cisterns 
in  the  vicinity,  but  the  two  principal  ones,  supposed  to  be  the 
same  dug  by  Abraham  and  Isaac,  are  still  in  good  condition, 
containing  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  abiding  witnesses  to 
the  eventful  lives  of  these  two  illustrious  men. 

This  is  still  a  nomadic  country,  just  what  it  was  in  the  days 
of  Abraham,  and  the  wandering  Arabs  may  still  be  seen  water- 
ing their  flocks  and  herds  out  of  the  old  stone  troughs  that 
stand  around  these  ancient  wells,  antique  enough  in  appearance 
to  have  been  used  by  the  patriarchs  themselves. 

Abraham  was  living  here  during  that  severe  trial  of  his  faith 
when  called  upon  to  render  his  only  son  as  a  burnt-offering 
unto  the  Lord.  Whether  this  was  the  birthplace  of  Isaac  or 
not,  we  know  it  was  here  he  married  his  beautiful  Rebekah, 
and  here  Jacob  and  Esau  were  bom.  This,  also,  is  the  scene  of 
the  final  expulsion  of  Hagar  and  her  son.  And  the  history  of 
this  woman,  which  still  lives  in  the  traditions  of  the  country, 
is  another  illustration  of  the  truthfulness  of  the  Scriptures. 
Ishmael,  her  discarded  son,  has  become  "  a  great  nation."  His 
descendants  are  wild  men  still,  "  their  hand  against  every  man, 
and  every  man's  hand  against  them,"  dwelling  in  the  presence 
of  their  brethren,  "  yet  repelling  every  effort  to  civilize  them." 

Whether  Kadesh-Bamea,  the  camping  ground  of  the  Israel- 
ites on  the  borders  of  Canaan,  was  the  name  of  a  place  or  dis- 
trict has  not  been  determined,  neither  has  its  locality  been 
satisfactorily  established.     There  is  a  fountain  in  Wady  Jeib, 


KADESH-BARNEA.  223 

two  days'  journey  south-east  of  Beer-slieba,  within  the  borders 
of  Edom,  that  meets  all  the  requirements  of  the  site,  and  more 
than  likely  marks  the  scene  of  Israel's  rebellion  and  great 
provocation  when  the  spies  brought  back  their  unfavorable 
report  of  the  land. 

This,  also,  would  be  Meribah-Kadesh,  and  these  running 
brooks,  "  the  waters  of  Meribah,"  where  Miriam,  the  sister  of 
Moses,  died,  and  where  the  ofEense  was  committed  which  ex- 
cluded the  great  prophet  and  lawgiver  from  the  Promised 
Land.  In  one  place  the  waters  issue  from  a  cleft  of  the  rock, 
appropriately  symbolizing  the  Rock  smitten  on  Calvary,  pour- 
ing out  his  life-blood  for  a  famishing  world. 


■^v^^ 


;=-:    ^-1"v 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  LAND  OF  THE  PHILISTINES. 

An  Extinct  Race — Early  Settlers  Canaanites — Her  Royal  Cities — Site  of  Gath, 
Gaza,  Askelon,  Ekron,  Ashdod — Fulfillment  of  Prophecy — Scene  of  Samson's 
Exploits — Slaughter  of  the  Philistines — Pulls  Down  the  House  of  Dagon — 
Our  Adventures  in  this  Land. 

THE  decay  of  cities  and  nations  seems  as  inevitable  as  the 
decay  of  individuals  and  families.  Traveling  through  the 
East  you  every- where  meet  with  the  vestiges  of  an  earlier  civil- 
ization, in  broken  columns,  pieces  of  sculpture,  beautiful  tombs, 
and  the  remains  of  once  populous  cities  now  entirely  deserted 
and  silent  as  the  grave. 

We  were  never  more  forcibly  impressed  with  the  instability 
of  every  thing  worldly  than  during  a  late  visit  to  "  the  land  of 
the  Phihstines,"  which  includes  the  great  maritime  plain  lying 
between  the  Judean  hills  and  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  extend- 
ing from  Carmel  on  the  north  to  "  the  borders  of  Egypt "  on 
the  south. 

This  country,  generally  known  as  the  Plain  of  Philistia,  in 
natural  fertility  is  unsurpassed ;  but  the  powerful  nation  that 
once  occupied  it  has  long  since  become  extinct. 

The  early  settlers  of  Philistia,  as  the  name  imports,  were 
strangers  or  foreigners,  whose  origin  is  involved  in  much  ob- 
scurity. When  Abraham  first  pitched  his  tent  in  the  "  south 
country,"  he  found  the  Philistines  there.  Some  suppose  they 
were  of  the  Rephaim  stock  or  family  of  giants  from  east  of 
the  Jordan,  but  from  the  Mosaic  genealogy  it  appears  more 


AJSr    EXTINCT    UACF.  22o 

probable  tliey  came  from  Eg}'pt,  and  were  tlic  descendants  of 
Canaan,  the  fourth  son  of  llam.  Hence,  to  distingnisli  tliem 
from  the  Amorites,  or  those  Hving  in  the  Ilill  Country,  they 
were  called  Canaanites,  or  dwellers  in  the  Lowlands — a  naiao 
that  was  afterward  given  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  Palestine. 
The  country,  however,  did  not  derive  its  name  from  its  natural 
features,  but  from  Canaan,  the  progenitor  of  the  people  who 
first  settled  the  S/iefelah,  or  low  district  along  the  coast,  and 
have  stamped  their  ancestor's  name  on  the  entire  land. 

The  Ilyksos,  or  shepherds  expelled  from  Egypt,  are  also  sup- 
posed to  have  emigrated  here  at  a  later  period. 

Though  the  Philistines  by  descent  were  Ilamites,  their  lan- 
guage seems  to  have  been  Semitic,  as  the  patriarchs,  without 
an  interpreter,  appear  to  have  had  no  difficulty  in  communi- 
cating with  them  as  with  the  Egyptians ;  and  all  the  names  and 
other  traces  of  the  language  thus  far  discovered,  prove  it  to 
have  been  identical  with  the  Hebrew.  The  only  explanation 
of  which  is,  that  probably  a  portion  of  the  country  was  first 
occupied  by  the  descendants  of  Shem,  and  that  the  Canaan- 
ites, when  they  settled  in  the  land,  adopted  the  common  lan- 
guage of  the  country :  or  the  two  families  may  have  retained  a 
knowledge  of  the  original  language,  which  was  substantially 
the  same  as  the  Hebrew  and  Phcenician. 

The  Philistines  were  a  tall,  well-proportioned,  warlike  peo- 
ple, hving  in  well-built  cities,  going  to  war  in  "  chariots  of 
iron,"  armed  with  helmets,  shields,  swords,  and  other  weapons 
of  artistic  workmanship,  when  "  there  was  not  a  smith  in  all 
the  land  of  Israel ; "  '  and  were  always  a  great  scourge  to  the 
Israelites,  invading  and  spoiling  their  territory  at  pleasure. 

Philistia  was  within  the  bounds  of  the  Promised  Land,  and 

'  1  Samuel  xiii,  IW. 
15 


226  BIBLE   LANDS. 

after  the  conquest  properly  belonged  to  Judah  and  Dan,  but 
the  Ilebrews,  except  for  short  intervals,  were  never  able  to  hold 
it.  Occupying  a  country  unequaled  in  its  productiveness,  and 
being  situated  on  the  direct  route  between  Asia  and  Africa, 
their  opulent  cities  became  a  coveted  prize  to  ambitious  mon- 
archs,  and  their  rich  plains  the  great  battle-field  of  contesting 
armies.  The  Assyrians,  in  their  invasions  of  Egypt,  had  to 
traverse  this  territory.  Alexander  the  Great,  after  taking  Gaza 
by  storm  and  putting  its  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  devastated 
the  whole  land.  During  the  Egyptian,  Syrian,  and  Jewieh  wars, 
the  country  was  frequently  overrun  by  hostile  armies,  until  the 
nation  fell  under  Roman  rule  and  was  despoiled  by  the  Cfesars 
forever  of  its  glory.  Since  then  the  Philistines  have  had  no 
national  existence,  but  have  gradually  become  absorbed  l>y  the 
Bedouin  tribes  of  the  Desert  on  their  south,  until  one  of  the 
most  powerful  and  highly-civilized  nations  of  Asia  has  been 
blotted  out  entirely  from  the  earth. 

The  government  of  Philistia  appears  to  have  been  a  federal 
union  composed  of  five  districts  or  provinces,  in  each  of  which 
there  was  a  royal  city  ruled  by  a  powerful  lord  or  cliief,  of 
whom  the  lord  of  Gath  was  king.  From  these  fortified  cities 
they  made  frequent  incursions  into  the  land  of  Israel,  and  it  waa 
not  until  after  David's  successful  encounter  with  their  champion, 
Goliath,  and  the  utter  defeat  of  their  army  by  Abner,  that  they 
were  finally  subdued  and  became  tributary  to  Israel.  The  names 
of  all  these  cities  except  Gath  have  been  preserved,  and  tlie 
site  of  that  place  is  now  tolerably  well  established  at  Tell  cs. 
Safieh,  a  conical  hill  rising  perhaps  two  hundred  feet  above 
the  surrounding  plain,  and  commanding  a  view  of  all  the  other 
royal  cities.  The  site  is  about  ten  miles  cast  of  Aslidod,  be- 
tween Shoco  and  Ekron,  and  agrees  exactly  with  the  locality  as 


HER    ROYAL    CITIES GATH   AND    GAZA.  227 

given  by  Eusebius.  Some  ancient  cisterns  and  rock-cnt  tombs, 
together  witli  the  remains  of  some  old  fortifications  on  the 
summit,  and  many  fragments  of  columns,  some  with  capitals 
richly  carved,  show  that  it  was  a  place  of  considerable  impor- 
tance, and  in  all  probability  is  the  native  city  of  Goliath, 
where  David  found  an  asylum  when  diiven  by  Saul  from  his 
own  people. 

Gaza  was  situated  near  the  sea  on  the  southern  border  of 
Philistia.  It  is  mentioned  among  the  first  cities  built  after  the 
flood,  and  was  the  stronghold  of  the  Anakim — a  race  of  power- 
ful men  who  dwelt  there  before  Joshua  conquered  the  country. 
That  it  was  a  place  of  great  strength  may  be  inferred  from  the 
fact  that  Alexander,  after  the  fall  of  Tyre,  only  succeeded  in 
taking  \t  after  a  five  months'  siege. 

The  modern  city  contains  a  population  of  sixteen  thousand, 
and  appears  to  be  built  on  a  low,  natural  ridge,  which,  however, 
is  nothing  more  than  the  accumulated  rubbish  of  successive 
cities  on  the  same  spot,  literally  a  mountain  of  rubbish — broken 
pillars  and  walls  of  massive  masonry  cropping  out  of  the  sand 
every-where.  The  great  mosque,  with  its  tall  minaret,  that 
crowns  the  hill,  is  the  most  interesting  building  in  the  place : 
originally  a  pagan  temple,  afterward  a  Jewish  synagogue,  then 
a  Christian  church,  and  now  dedicated  to  Islamism.  Cut  in 
bass-relief  on  one  of  the  ancient  marble  columns  in  this  mosque 
is  a  beautiful  representation  of  the  seven-branched  golden  can- 
dlestick, with  the  sacrificial  knife  hanging  from  one  of  the 
branches. 

The  houses  here,  as  in  the  East  generally,  are  built  of  stone, 
with  flat  roofs  called  terraces,  on  which  the  inmates  sleep,  eat, 
and  promenade  during  the  summer,  and  where  all  entertain- 
ments are  given.     The  house-top  of  an  ordinary  dwelling  will 


228  BIBLE    LANDS. 

hold  conveniently  live  hundred  persons,  and  there  are  churches 
and  mosqnes  in  Palestine  on  the  roofs  of  which  yon  could  stand 
from  two  to  live  thousand  people.  These  terraces  are  sup- 
ported by  arches  or  pillars,  and  often  so  constructed  that  the 
removal  of  a  single  column  would  cause  the  whole  house  to 
topple  over,  there  being  nothing  to  bind  the  building  together 
after  the  supports  are  removed.  So  we  can  clearly  see  how 
Samson  pulled  down  the  temple  of  Dagon,  and  can  easily 
account  for  the  great  loss  of  life  on  that  occasion. 


RUINS   OF  ASKELON. 


Askelon,  ten  miles  north  of  Gaza,  was  the  sea-port  of  Philis- 
tia.  Nothing,  however,  remains  of  this  royal  city  but  jDortions 
of  the  massive  walls  and  ruins — vast  heaps  of  ruins  greater  than 
Baalbec,  or  any  other  ruins  in  Syria ;  not  a  house,  palace,  or 
building  of  any  kind  standing — all  desolation,  and  quiet  as  the 
grave ;  the  sands  of  the  desert  rapidly  entombing  the  famous 
city  of  the  Syrian  Venus. 

Ekron,  celebrated  for  the  worship  of  Beelzebub,  stood  in  the 
center  of  the  plain  north  of  the  beautiful  Yalley  of  the  Surar, 
the  ancient  Sorek,  where  Samson  was  betrayed  by  the  infamous 
Delilah.  The  place  at  present  consists  of  a  few  mud  huts — 
filthy,  poor,  wretched,  not  a  vestige  of  royalty  left.     A  large 


HrRTH-PLACE    OF    SAMSON.  229 

deep  "vrcll  and  some  fragments  of  broken  columns  are  about  all 
that  is  left  of  this  once  royal  city. 

Midway  between  here  and  Askelon,  on  a  low,  rounded  hill 
overlooking  the  sea,  is  the  site  of  ancient  Ashdod,  another  of 
the  royal  cities,  and  where  Dagon  fell  down  before  the  ark  of 
the  Lord.  A  few  sculptured  stones  and  mud  hovels,  surrounded 
by  the  richest  farming  lands,  and  in  the  midst  of  beautiful 
groves  of  olives,  Hgs,  and  pomegranates,  mark  the  site  of  the 
renowned  city  that  -withstood  for  twcnty-iiine  years  the  whole 
power  of  Egypt — the  longest  siege  on  record. 

When  -we  consider  the  present  desolate  condition  of  these 
cities,  how  forcibly  we  are  reminded  of  the  prophecy  concern- 
ing them  :  "  Gaza  shall  be  forsaken,  and  Askelon  a  desolation  ; 
they  shall  di'ivc  out  Ashdod  at  the  noonday,  and  Ekron  shall 
bo  rooted  up.  "Woe  unto  the  inhabitants  of  the  sea-coast — the 
land  of  the  Philistines;  I  will  even  destroy  thee,  that  there 
shall  be  no  inhabitant."  ' 

On  a  high  conical  hill  overlooking  the  whole  plain  of  Philis- 
tia,  and  about  three  miles  north  of  Bethshemesh,  is  tha  Arab 
village  of  Surah,  the  Zorah  of  the  Bible,  where  Samr.on,  the 
Bon  of  Manoali,  was  born.'  A  welly  or  tomb,  of  some  unlcnown 
person,  inclosing  a  beautiful  palm-tree,  cro-«ms  the  hill-top,  and 
a  very  ancient  square  well  in  the  valley  a  little  north  of  the 
village,  round  which  some  ruins  may  still  be  seen,  mark  the 
early  home  of  Israel's  famous  judge;  and  without  doubt,  on 
some  one  of  the  many  rocks  that  here  crop  out  of  the  hill-side, 
Manoah  the  Danite  was  offering  his  sacrifice  when  "  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  ascended  in  the  flame  of  the  altar  toward  heaven."  * 

In  stature  Samson  probably  was  no  larger  than  ot^ier  men 
of  his  tribe,  but,  being  raised  up  for  the  deliverance  of  Lis  peo- 

>  Zephaniah  ii,  4.  '  Judges  xiii,  2.  »  Judges  jjii,  20. 


230  BIBLE    LANDS. 

pie,  wlio  for  forty  years  had  been  oppressed  by  the  Philifitines, 
the  Lord  at  times  endowed  him  with  miraculous  strength,  as  he 
did  Solomon  in  after  years  with  divine  wisdom.  And  though 
"his  strength"  is  said  to  have  gone  "from  him"  when  shorn 
of  his  locks,  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  his  power  was  in  his 
hair,  but,  having  now  broken  his  vow  as  a  Nazarite,  he  lost  the 
favor  of  God. 

Samson's  first  exploit  was  when  he  tore  to  pieces  the  young 
lion  that  roared  against  him  on  his  way  to  Timnath,  where  he 
married  liis  first  wife — a  village  of  the  Philistines,  now  in 
ruins,  about  five  miles  to  the  south-west  of  Zorah.  It  was  here, 
during  liis  wedding  festival,  that  he  propounded  his  well-known 
riddle.'  And  on  the  extensive  plain  to  the  west  of  this  are 
the  cornfields  of  the  Philistines  he  destroyed  with  his  foxes, 
or,  more  properly,  jackals.  The  jackals  of  S}Tia  very  much 
resemble  the  American  red  fox,  and  are  still  found  in  great 
numbers  in  this  section ;  and  it  would  be  no  very  difiicult  mat- 
ter at  the  present  day  to  catch,  or  secure  in  some  other  way, 
three  or  four  hundred,  and  turn  them  loose  among  the  standing 
barley  and  wheat  with  the  same  effect. 

Near  this,  also,  is  the  hill  of  Lehi,  the  jaw-bone,  so-called 
from  its  peculiar  shape,  where  Samson  with  the  jaw-bone  of 
an  ass  slew  a  thousand  of  his  enemies.  It  is  a  barren,  rocky 
ridge,  in  shape  resembling  a  jaw-bone,  about  midway  between 
Jarmuth  and  Timnath,  and,  what  is  singular,  it  is  still  called  by 
the  natives  Kheishun,  which  signifies  nose,  or  cheek-bone.  And 
the  traditional  fountain  that  sprung,  not  from  the  jaw-bone  with 
which  Samson  slew  the  Philistines,  but  from  the  hill  of  Lehi, 
is  still  pointed  out  in  a  cleft  of  this  rocky  ridge.' 

After  many  other  adventures,  showing  liis  moral  weakness  in 

'  Judj^es  xiv,  14.  'Judges  xv,  14-19. 


EXPLOITS    OK    SA.MSOxV.  '2'6l 

strange  contrast  with  liis  physical  prowess,  and,  after  judging 
Israel  twenty  years,  Samson,  through  the  intrigue  of  an  infa- 
mous woman,  was  captured  by  the  Philistines,  who,  after  putting 
out  his  eyes  and  binding  him  with  fetters  of  brass,  took  him 
down  to  Gaza,  whose  gates  he  before  had  carried  away,  where, 
in  his  blindness  and  humiliation,  he  was  compelled  to  grind  at 
the  prison  mill,  and  make  sport  for  his  enemies.  An  oppor- 
tunity was  finally  given  hira  to  prove  once  more  his  strength, 
and  avenge  his  wrongs.  "  All  the  lords  of  the  Philistines,"  and 
thousands  of  men  and  women,  were  assembled  at  Gaza  to  offer 
sacrifices  unto  Dagon,  their  god.  There  was  great  rejoicing  on 
account  of  the  capture  of  Samson,  and  all  were  anxious  to  see 
the  wonderful  man  who  so  long  had  been  such  a  terror  to  their 
nation.  Samson  was  brought  forth  from  his  prison  to  amuse 
the  multitude,  and,  taking  hold  of  the  two  middle  pillars  that 
Bupported  the  temple,  "  bowed  himself  with  all  his  might ;  and 
the  house  fell  upon  the  lords,  and  upon  all  the  people  that  were 
therein,  so  the  dead  which  he  slew  at  his  death  were  more  than 
they  which  he  slew  in  his  life.  Then  his  brethren  and  all 
the  house  of  his  father  came  down,  and  took  him  and  brought 
him  up,  and  buried  him  between  Zorah  and  Eshtaol,  in  the 
burying-place  of  Manoah  his  father." ' 

And  what  at  least  is  very  curious,  during  the  last  summer 
there  was  found  in  an  old  rock-he\m  tomb  near  Zorah  a  laro-e 
terra-cotta  coftin  covered  with  sheet-lead  one  third  of  an  inch 
thick,  on  which  there  was  an  inscription  of  several  lines  in  old 
Hebrew,  containing  what  appeared  to  be  the  name  of  Samson, 
and  something  more  we  could  not  make  out  owing  to  the  cor- 
roded state  of  the  lead.  Could  this  be  the  tomb  of  Manoah's 
son?  Nothing  was  found  in  the  casket  but  diipt  and  aslios. 
'  Judges  xvi,  30,  31. 


232  BIBLE   LANDS. 

After  a  visit  of  iinnsnal  interest  to  the  scenes  of  Samson's 
exploits  wc  started  for  Slioco,  do^vn  the  vallej  of  Elali,  passing 
the  scene  of  David's  enconnter  with  Goliatli,  expecting  to  find 
our  tents  at  Gath.  Night  overtook  ns  at  Azekali,  where  Joshua 
slew  the  five  kings  of  the  Amorites.  Still  we  pressed  on  over 
the  rich,  undulating  plain,  startled  occasionally  by  the  hark  of 
the  jackal,  and  doleful  shriek  of  "the  night  monster."  After 
two  hours'  hard  riding,  seeing  light  ahead,  wc  were  greatly  de- 
lighted, thinking,  of  course,  it  was  our  camp  fire,  but  soon  dis- 
covered the  mistake,  and  found,  much  to  our  dismay,  that  wo 
■were  riding  into  a  den  of  Bedouin  robbers.  Quietly  withdraw- 
ing, wc  resumed  our  lonely  journey,  and  about  nine  o'clock 
reached  Gath,  but,  to  our  great  disappointment,  our  tents  were 
not  there ;  so,  hungry  and  tired,  we  rode  into  the  once  royal 
city  of  the  Philistines.  At  first  we  found  difiiculty  in  getting 
into  any  house,  and  had  about  concluded  to  spend  the  night  in 
the  streets,  when  a  soldier  from  Jerusalem,  recognizing  me,  took 
us  into  the  best  house  in  the  place ;  nothing  more,  however, 
than  a  mud  hovel,  walls,  floor,  roof,  all  mud,  without  windows 
or  ventilation  of  any  kind.  After  partaking  of  some  eggs  and 
Arab  bread  we  were  shown  to  our  quarters  for  the  night ;  but 
O,  such  quarters !  It  was  a  large  room  with  a  raised  jilatform 
at  one  cud,  on  the  earthen  floor  of  which  we  were  to  sleep  with- 
out bed  or  covering.  Taking  our  saddles  for  pillows,  with  the 
horses,  mules,  and  donkeys  all  in  the  same  room,  we  stretched 
ourselves  out  on  the  floor,  hoping  to  find  some  rest ;  but,  "  tell  it 
not  in  Gath,"  no  sooner  had  we  lain  down  than  myriads  of 
fleas  and  other  vermin  began  their  bloody  work,  and  though  wo 
fought  them  bravely,  and  slew  our  thousands,  thousands  more 
came  to  the  attack,  until,  finally,  we  were  driven  from  our 
position,  only  too  glad  to  escape  with  our  lives 


CHAPTER  XIL 


8EA-C0AST    OF    PALESTENB. 


Plain  of  Sharon — Csesarea— Athlit— Cfrand  Ruins — Haifa  German  Colony — ^Acre, 
or  Ancient  Aceho— Napoleon's  i^'irst  Ivepulse — Pasha  El  Jezzar — Tyre  and 
Sidon — Hiram's  Tomb — Interesting  Discovery, 

BOEDERING  Pbilistia  on  the  north  is  the  plain  of  Sharon, 
anciently  a  part  of  Pliilistia,  extending  from  the  sea  back 
to  the  Mountains  of  Ephraim,  about  fifteen  miles,  and  along  the 
coast  from  Jaffa  to  Carmcl,  once  the  garden  of  Palestine,  but 
now  almost  deserted,  and  seldom  visited  by  tourists.  This  is 
o-wing  mainly  to  the  dangerous  character  of  the  Bedouin  tribes 
that  roam  over  this  rich  plain,  and  still  claim  possession  of  the 
land.  The  distance  by  the  coast  is  about  fifty  miles,  and  along 
the  whole  route  are  to  be  found  the  niins  of  many  cities  whoso 
histories  have  been  lost  in  the  general  desolation  of  the  coun- 
try. A  few  places,  such  as  Caesarea,  Tantura,  and  Athht,  can 
be  identified,  but  many  other  remains,  equally  grand,  arc  with- 
out name  or  story. 

Among  the  most  extensive  and  picturesque  ruins  in  Syria 
are  those  at  Athlit — a  few  miles  south  of  where  Carmel  juts  out 
into  the  sea — consisting  of  an  old  crusading  castle  and  fortress 
of  great  strength,  once  the  capital  of  Palestine,  and  known  as 
Castellum  Perigrinonim,  or  Landing-place  of  the  Pilgrims,  be- 
ing situated  on  a  low,  rocky  point  projecting  into  the  sea,  and 
forming  a  safe  harbor  for  the  knights  of  the  cross.  The  walls 
of  the  castle  are  from  eight  to  twenty  feet  thick,  and  in  places 
are  standing  at  least  seventy-five  feet  high.    The  lower  and  outer 

233 


234  BIBLE   LAITDS. 

courses  are  beveled  witli  bold  projections — similar  to  the  oldest 
in  the  temple  wall  at  Jerusalem,  and  bound  together  with  leaden 
clamps  and  heading  courses  of  large  dressed  stone,  so  firmly 
that  the  restless  surf  beating  for  many  centuries  upon  them, 
and  the  shocks  of  a  hundred  earthquakes,  have  failed  to  disturb 
them. 

The  fortress  stood  on  an  elevated  platform  of  this  massive 
masonry,  under  which  there  were  great  subterranean  vaults — 
one  on  the  south  two  hundred  and  forty  feet  long,  forty  feet 
wide,  and  thirty  high ;  another  on  the  east  still  larger,  used, 
perhaps,  as  store-rooms,  and  connected  by  dark,  secret  gal- 
leries cut  through  the  rock.  There  was  a  very  fine  magazine 
near  what  appears  to  have  been  the  oflSce  for  the  receipt  of 
customs.  It  was  about  one  hundred  feet  long,  with  groined 
ceiling  and  richly  carved  corbels  and  bosses.  When  the  place 
was  abandoned  by  the  Crusaders,  in  A.D.  1291 — after  the  fall 
of  Acre — they  left  here  written  on  the  wall  the  sarcastic  in- 
scription:  "This  vault  we  filled  with  raisins;  you  will  never 
fill  it  with  straw." 

The  defenses  of  the  place  show  great  military  skill.  Every 
approach  from  the  sea  was  securely  guarded  by  strong  towers 
built  in  the  water.  On  the  land  side  it  was  protected  by  a 
double  wall,  between  which  was  a  deep  moat  that  could  easily 
be  flooded  from  the  sea.  Beyond  these  artificial  defenses,  run- 
ning parallel  with  the  coast,  was  a  limestone  ridge,  the  face  of 
which  was  so  quarried  and  scarped  as  to  form  a  third  wall  of 
living  stone.  The  only  entrance  to  the  castle  from  the  main 
land  was  by  a  narrow  covered  way  cut  for  half  a  mile  through 
this  rocky  ridge.  The  deep  ruts  worn  by  the  war-chariots  may 
still  be  seen  in  the  solid  bed  of  this  road.'     At  the  eastern  end 

'  Van  de  Velde  thinks  these  ruts  are  the  remains  of  a  railroad  track. 


GERMAN    COLONY    AT   HAIFA.  235 

of  this  rock-passage  was  a  massive  gate-waj  flanked  bj  bastions 
and  commanded  by  forts,  all  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock  in  the 
most  wonderful  manner.  This  portion  of  the  work  evidently 
belongs  to  a  period  prior  to  our  era,  and  doubtless  gave  to  the 
fortress  the  name  it  formerly  bore — Petra  Incisa — "  Eock-cut 
Citadel."  Beyond  this  natural  barrier  there  was  yet  another 
outer  wall  and  a  ditch,  which,  by  means  of  large  earthen  pipes, 
could  be  filled  with  water  from  the  sea,  rendering  the  place 
almost  impregnable. 

The  origin  of  this  remarkable  ruin  is  lost  in  the  misty  past. 
Who  laid  these  massive  foundations  will  probably  never  be 
known.  Neither  the  Bible  nor  any  ancient  historian  mentions 
the  place.  The  Greek  and  Roman  writers  are  all  silent  on  the 
subject. 

"We  have  no  reliable  history  of  this  ruin  bej'ond  the  Cru- 
sades ;  but  from  the  character  of  portions  of  the  work,  the 
rock-hewn  tombs  in  the  vicinity,  old  coins  and  other  antiques 
found  on  the  spot,  it  must  belong  to  a  much  earlier  period, 
perhaps  the  Roman,  if  not  the  Phoenician  age.  It  certainly  is 
one  of  the  grandest  ruins  in  Palestine,  and  all  who  visit  it  wiU 
not  only  be  pleased  but  amazed  with  the  boldness  of  the  con- 
ception and  the  untiring  energy  displayed  in  erecting  this  once 
formidable  fortress  on  this  sea-girt  rock.  The  remains  of  a  well- 
paved  road  may  still  be  traced,  leading  from  Athlit  over  Car- 
mel  to  the  cities  of  Galilee. 

On  the  plain  near  Haifa,  and  under  the  shadow  of  Jebel  Mar 
Elyas,  is  the  new  German  colony,  which  promises  to  work 
great  changes  in  this  land.  It  is  a  religious  movement  for  the 
colonization  of  Palestine,  first  organized  half  a  century  ago 
at  Kcenthal,  Germany,  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  J.  A.  Bengel, 
author  of  the  Gnomon  of  the  New  Testament,  and  is  now 


230  IUP.I.K    LAN  Do. 

under  tlie  presidency  of  Ilerr  Christopher  Iloffman.  Thej 
call  themselves  "  The  Temple,"  their  mission  being  to  build 
up  a  spiritual  temple  in  the  Holy  Land.  Their  lirst  permanent 
settlement  in  Palestine  was  effected  here  in  1S68.  Since  then 
colonies  have  been  planted  at  Jaffa  and  Jerusalem,  numbering 
in  all  about  eight  hundred  souls,  representing  all  professions 
and  trades.  There  arc  quite  a  number  of  naturalized  citizens 
of  the  United  States  among  them.  They  have  purchased  a 
tract  of  land,  which  is  divided  among  the  members  for  cultiva- 
tion, thus  rendering  the  community  self-sustaining.  Their  set- 
tlement hei-e  looks  very  much  like  a  New  England  village,  the 
streets  being  planted  with  trees  and  the  houses  set  back,  with 
flower-gardens  in  front.  They  have  a  good  hotel,  "  Ilotel  du 
Carmcl,"  and  school-house  ;  the  latter  being  used  also  for  public 
worship.  On  the  stone  lintel  over  the  entrance  to  their  houses 
you  will  generally  find  some  text  of  Scripture ;  and  morning 
and  evening  the  voice  of  praise  and  prayer  may  be  heard  in 
almost  all  their  dwellings.  All  of  their  buildings  are  con- 
structed of  a  very  light-colored  stone,  in  the  European  style, 
with  good  taste,  and  in  striking  contrast  with  the  mud  hovels 
of  the  natives. 

The  colonists  arc  an  intelligent,  hard-working,  moral  people, 
and  cannot  fail  to  exert  a  salutary  influence  upon  the  native 
population.  They  are  building  roads  back  into  the  country, 
and  have  introduced  wagons,  steam-engines,  and  improved 
agricultural  and  other  implements.  They  are  running  a  line 
of  carriages  from  Haifa  to  Acre  ;  also  from  Jaffa  to  Jerusalem  ; 
and  last  year  they  imported  an  American  reaper  and  thresher 
— the  first  in  Palestine,  if  not  in  Asia. 

It  was  very  amusing  to  see  the  effect  produced  by  these 
machines.     Mules  were  the  only  animals  that  could  be  subdued  ^ 


A.Mi;iaCAA    TIIIIESIIING-MACIIIXES.  237 

and  broken  in ;  horses,  oxen,  and  camels  were  entirely  nnnian- 
agcablc.  The  peasants  seemed  even  more  frightened  tlian  the 
beasts ;  some  would  sqnat  down  npon  tlie  ground  and  look 
with  amazement  at  the  machinery  in  motion  ;  otlicrs,  trembling 
with  fear,  looked  on  from  a  distance,  as  though  Satan  was  de- 
vouring their  crops.  The  reaper  does  the  work  in  four  hours 
of  sixty  men  in  a  whole  day.  The  natives,  however,  think  it 
possessed  of  a  devil,  because  it  leaves  nothing  for  the  gleaners, 
and  cuts  the  cornei-s  of  the  fields,  which  the  Koran  prohibits. 
The  threshing-machine  docs  the  work  of  one  hundred  oxen, 
and  does  it  much  better  and  cheaper.  The  Mohammedans  call 
it  the  "  Christian  Thresher,"  and  think  it  a  wonderfid  inven- 
tion. 

The  colonists  were  divided  at  first  as  to  the  merits  of  the 
American  and  German  machines,  and  to  pacify  the  parties  two 
were  ordered,  one  from  each  country ;  but  when  the  trial  as  to 
their  superiority  was  made  the  German  got  such  a  thrashing 
it  has  never  run  since,  and  is  now  for  sale. 

Sweeping  close  by  the  base  of  Carmcl,  on  the  north,  the 
river  Kishon  flows  into  the  bay  of  Acre,  a  large,  beautiful, 
but  not  very  secure  harbor,  owing  to  its  exposure  to  the  north- 
west storms. 

The  famous  city  of  Accho,  or  St.  Jean  d'  Acre,  is  situated 
ou  the  northern  side  of  this  bay,  and  is  strongly  fortified  with 
double  walls  and  fosse  next  the  land,  through  which  there  is 
but  a  single  portah  Napoleon  considered  Acre  the  key  to 
Palestine,  and  his  failure  to  gain  possession  of  the  place  in 
1799  blasted  all  his  hope  of  an  eastern  empire.  Here  he  lost 
his  prestige,  and  his  downfall  may  be  dated  from  his  repulse 
before  this  city. 

This,  the  richest  poi-tion  of  Palestine,  fell  to  the  lot  of  Asher, 


238  BIBLE   LANDS. 

who  here  "  dipped  his  foot  in  oil,"  but  was  never  able  to  drive 
out  the  original  inhabitants.  The  Plains  of  Acre  and  Esdra- 
elon  are  connected  by  the  Kishon  Yalley,  and  with  the  Jordan 
"Valley  by  the  Plain  of  Jezreel.  If  a  railroad  should  ever  be 
built  from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  Pei*sian  Gulf,  this  will 
likely  be  the  route — crossing  the  Jordan  near  Succoth,  thence 
up  the  Yalley  of  the  Jabbok,  the  old  caravan  trail  from  the  East. 
There  is  no  mountain  to  cross  in  the  whole  distance,  and  it  fur- 
nishes a  better  supply  of  water  and  timber  than  any  other  route. 

One  mile  south  of  Acre  the  river  Belus,  a  small  stream, 
flows  into  the  bay.  It  was  on  the  banks  of  this  river,  ac- 
cording to  Pliny,  that  glass  was  first  accidentally  discovered ; 
which  is  very  probable,  as,  owing  to  the  quantity  of  vitreous 
matter  mingled  with  the  sand,  a  fire  kindled  anywhere  on  its 
shores  would  hkely  produce  the  same  result. 

The  history  of  Acre  dates  back  to  the  earliest  Phoenician 
settlements  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  During  the 
Crusades  it  was  the  chief  sea-port  in  Syria,  and  head-quarters  of 
the  Knights  of  St.  John.  When  retaken  by  the  Moslems,  sixty 
thousand  Christians  were  either  put  to  the  sword  or  sold  into 
slavery.  Many  of  her  Pashas  have  been  monsters  of  cruelty. 
One  in  particular.  El  Jezzar,  amused  himself  in  torturing  his 
victims  by  putting  out  their  eyes,  or  cutting  off  their  ears, 
tongues,  and  noses.  On  one  occasion  he  suspected  the  fidelity 
of  his  wives,  and  with  his  own  hands  put  to  death  his  whole 
harem.  Some  of  his  servants  having  offended  him,  he  caused 
them  to  be  thrown  into  a  heated  oven  alive  and  roasted. 
During  my  visit  to  this  place  I  saw  a  man  who  had  all  his 
fingers,  toes,  and  part  of  his  tongue  cut  off  by  order  of  a  former 
Pasha.  These  abuses,  I  am  happy  to  say,  are  being  rapidly 
corrected  in  Turkey. 


iff 


Rr^'«mfflfW^^ 


r  r  ''  'iKii. 


![' 

"I'lt 

f 

k'' 

^'liiiil: 

iii. 

•#■ 

THE   TOMB    OF   EL   JEZZAR.  241 

The  mosque  and  tomb  of  El  Jczzar  occupy  a  portion  of  the 
garden  where  he  wantonly  murdered  the  beautiful,  and.  as  is 
generally  believed,  innocent  women  of  his  harem.  The  pillars 
in  front  of  the  mosque  are  red  granite,  with  bronze  bases  and 
capitals.  A  colonnade  incloses  the  garden  on  three  sides,  all 
tlic  columns  of  wliich  are  from  older  buildings,  and  scarcely 
two  alike — granite,  marble,  porphyry,  of  every  size,  color,  and 
quality,  some  of  exquisite  workmanship.  The  court  is  paved 
witli  the  richest  marbles;  waving  palm-trees  shade  the  walks; 
flowing  fountains  cool  the  air ;  cozy  arbors  with  soft  divans  in- 
vito repose,  and  the  whole,  gladdened  by  the  sweet  notes  of 
many  songsters,  and  redolent  of  the  orange,  jasmine,  and  other 
blooming  plants,  make  up  a  luxurious  pleasure-ground  such  as 
can  be  found  only  in  Oriental  lands. 

A  few  miles  north  of  Acre  the  spurs  of  Lebanon  crowd  into 
the  sea,  forming  the  "  Ladder  of  Tyre,"  a  very  narrow,  diffi- 
cult pass,  beyond  which  the  IsraeUtcs  were  never  able  to  extend 
their  conquests. 

And  here  we  cross  again  the  pathway  of  our  divine  Lord, 
for  over  this  mountain  staircase  the  Saviour  of  our  world 
must  have  passed  when  he  visited  "  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon;"  and 'it  was  here  he  gave  to  our  world  those  crumbs 
of  comfort  which  inspire  with  hope  the  despairing  soul,  and 
prove  God's  \nllingness  to  save,  even  where  there  is  no  promise 
of  salvation  upon  which  to  rest  a  plea  for  mercy. 

The  renowned  city  of  Tyre,  whose  king  furnished  the  skilled 
workmen  and  much  of  the  material  for  Solomon's  grand  tem- 
ple, was  situated  just  beyond  the  Scala  Tyriorum.  And  on  the 
ridge  about  three  miles  east  of  the  ancient  city,  overlooking 
the  plain  and  sea,  is  the  reputed  tomb  of  Iliram,  King  of  Tyre 

— historically,  the  first  Grand  Master  of  Masonry.      It  is  a 
16 


242  BIBLE    LAINDS. 

massive  monument  of  j^Ji'amidal  shape,  fifteen  feet  long,  by 
ten  feet  wide,  and  twenty-one  feet  liigli,  composed  of  large 
blocks  of  limestone  in  perfect  ashler,  roughly  dressed,  the  up- 
per courses  being  single  stones,  and  evidently  of  Phoenician 
workmanship. 

A  very  interesting  discovery  has  just  T)een  made  at  Tyre  by 
Dr.  Sepp,  of  Prussia.  In  digging  for  the  remains  of  Emperor 
Frederick  Barbarossa  they  came  upon  the  ruins  of  a  magnili- 
cent  Christian  church— probably  the  cathedral  erected  by  Paul 


inns,  when  Bishop  of  Tyre,  and  for  which  Eusebius  wrote  the 
dedicatory  sermon.  The  great  Origen  and  many  of  the  fathers 
and  early  bishops  were  buried  here.  And,  what  is  very  remark- 
able, not  only  their  graves  and  bodies  were  found  with  the  re- 
covery of  this  old  church,  but  their  vestments,  jewels,  and  robes 
of  office,  in  almost  perfect  preservation.  This  discovery  is 
interesting  as  showing  the  vestments  of  the  bisliops  during  the 
first  centuries  of  our  era.  One  of  these  remains  is,  doubtless, 
the  body  of  Origen.     How  strange  all  this  seems !    When  they 


INTEKESTING    DISCOVERY    AT   TYRE.  240 

discovered  the  tomb  of  the  Emperor,  at  a  depth  of  eiglit  feet, 
it  was  found  to  be  empty,  which  explains  another  mystery. 
On  examining  his  wife's  tomb  a  few  years  since,  in  the  cathe- 
dral of  Spires,  Germany,  it  was  found  to  contain  two  skeletons, 
wliicli  never  before  could  be  explained.  It  now  appears  that 
some  person,  perliaps  centuries  ago,  quietly  removed  the  bones 
of  Frederick  Barbarrossa  from  Tyre  to  Ilohenstauffcn,  and 
placed  tlicm  in  the  coffin  of  his  wife. 

All  that  remains  of  this  once  strong  and  wealthy  city,  "  whose 
merchants  were  princes,"  are  heaps  of  rubbish  ;  piles  of  beauti- 
ful granite  columns,  some  of  vast  dimensions  ;  substructures  of 
pagan  and  Christian  temples,  with  here  and  there  the  fisher- 
man's liut,  who  now  spreads  his  nets  upon  the  broken  walls 
and  fallen  towers  of  Phoenicia's  once  proud  capital,  literally 
fulfilling  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  "  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God ;  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  Tynis,  and  will 
cause  many  nations  to  come  up  against  thee,  as  the  sea  causcth 
his  waves  to  come  up.  And  they  shall  destroy  the  walls  of 
TjTus,  and  break  down  her  towers :  ,  .  .  and  they  shall  lay 
thy  stones  and  thy  timber  and  thy  dust  in  the  midst  of  the 
water.  And  I  will  cause  the  noise  of  thy  songs  to  cease  ;  and 
the  sound  of  thy  harps  shall  be  no  more  heard.  And  I  will 
make  thee  like  the  top  of  a  rock  :  thou  shalt  be  a  place  to  spread 
nets  upon;  thou  shalt  be  i)uilt  no  more:  fori  the  Lord  have 
ppokcMi  ir,  siiith  the  Lord  God."' 

'  Ezekiel  xxvi,  3-14. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MOIINT  CAEMEL SCENE    OF   ELIJAH's  SACRIFICE, 

Convent  of  Mar  Elvas — Cave  of  Elijah — Grotto  of  the  Sons  of  the  Propheta— 
Muklirakah,  or  Place  of  Sacrifice — View  from  the  Mountain — Priests  of  Baal 
— The  Lord,  he  is  God. 

Tins  noted  mountain  is  called  by  tlie  Arabs,  Jebel  Mar 
Elyas — Mountain  of  Elijah — as  it  was  the  favorite  resort 
of  that  prophet,  and  is  celebrated  as  the  scene  of  his  triumph 
over  the  priests  of  Baal.  Isaiah  speaks  glownngl j  of  the  "  ex- 
cellency of  Carmel,"  and  Solomon,  in  complimenting  his  ^vife, 
uses  the  metaphor,  "  Thine  head  upon  thee  is  like  Carmeh" ' 
As  the  name  signities,  this  mountain,  without  doubt,  was  once 
a  "fruitful  field,"  a  beautiful  park  covered  with  forest  trees, 
olive  groves,  and  vineyards,  as  numerous  old  rock-hewn  oil  and 
wine-presses  indicate ;  but  she  has  long  since  been  shorn  of 
her  tresses,  the  "plentiful  field"  has  become  barren,  and  the 
shouting  of  her  vintage  has  ceased.  With  the  exception  ol 
here  and  there  a  cultivated  patch,  and  a  few  large  trees,  the 
mountain  is  covered  with  scrubby  oaks  and  a  dense  under- 
growth of  brush,  the  favorite  haunt  of  wolves,  hyenas,  jackals, 
Nvild  boars,  and  other  wild  animals. 

Carmel  is  a  ridge  about  fifteen  miles  long,  running  in  a  north- 
westerly direction  from  the  mountains  of  Samaria  to  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  forming  a  natural  barrier  between  the  rich  plain 
of  Acre  on  the  north  and  Sharon  to  the  south.  The  ridge  con 
tinues  to  rise  as  it  recedes  from  the  sea,  until  it  attains  its  great 

2,j[|  '  Song  of  Solomon  vii,  5. 


CONVENT    OF    JIAK    ELYAS.  245 

est  elevation — one  thousand  seven  linndred  and  twenty-eight 
feet  near  Estieh,  about  ten  miles  back. 

The  Convent  of  Mar  Elyas,  a  large  stone  edifice  belonging  to 
the  order  of  Carmelite  monks,  is  beautifully  situated  on  the 
bold  promontory  at  the  northern  extremity  of  Carmel,  com- 
manding a  fine  view  of  the  Bay  of  Acre,  and  the  Lebanon 
mountains  beyond.  The  Cave  of  Elijah,  where  it  is  said  the 
prophet  concealed  himself  from  Ahab  and  Jezebel,  is  directly 


CONTENT  ON  CARMEL. 


under  the  altar  of  the  convent  chapel,  and  is  the  principal  object 
of  interest.  These  monks  claim  Elijah  as  their  founder,  and 
they,  no  doubt,  have  a  remote  ancestry.  They  are  mostly  Span- 
iards and  Italians,  and  in  general  bigoted  and  indolent,  but  man- 
age to  raise  their  own  tobacco  and  make  their  own  wine.  We 
spent  a  few  days  with  them,  but  were  not  favorably  impressed 
with  monastic  life.  At  sunset  the  massive  gates  were  closed, 
and  strong  bars  and  bolts  secured  every  portal  of  the  fortress- 


246  BIBLE  la:nds. 

like  convent.  At  the  call  of  the  vesper  bell  all  collected  in  the 
chapel  for  evening  prayers.  The  sanctuary  was  dimly  lighted, 
and  in  the  grotto  beneath  burned  a  glimmering  taper,  throwing 
out  light  just  sufficient  to  reveal  the  fonn  of  the  old  prophet, 
who  is  here  represented  in  his  peculiar  dress  as  still  occupying 
his  lonely  cell.  Yespers  over,  the  monks  retired  to  their  rooms, 
and  during  the  watches  of  the  night  the  profound  silence  was 
often  broken  by  the  plaintive  song,  suppressed  moan,  or  half- 
audible  prayer  of  some  burdened  heart  communing  alone  with 
God.  The  nights  seemed  dreadfully  long,  and  the  days  in- 
terminable. 

Life  in  such  a  place  is  entirely  too  monotonous  for  me.  We 
have  something  more  to  do  in  this  world  than  lock  ourselves  up 
in  prison-like  convents  to  fast  and  pray,  or,  worse,  drink  and 
smoke  our  lives  away.  God  and  humanity,  religion  and  poli- 
tics, have  claims  upon  us  we  dare  not  ignore.  Man  was  created 
for  an  object.  He  should  live  to  some  good  purpose  ;  not  bury, 
but  improve  his  talents.  If  one  has  the  privilege  of  thus  se- 
cluding himself  from  society,  all  have  the  same  privilege, 
which  would  soon  stop  all  progress,  and  terminate  ignobly  our 
race. 

Near  the  base  of  the  promontory,  a  few  hundred  yards  north 
of  the  convent,  and  close  by  some  ancient  cisterns,  is  the  Grotto 
of  Elisha,  or  of  the  "  Sons  of  the  Prophets,"  a  large  cave,  fifty 
feet  long  by  twenty-five  wide,  and  twenty  feet  high,  where,  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  Obadiah  concealed  and  fed  the  prophets 
of  the  Lord  during  the  long  famine  in  Samaria.  There  is  a 
deep  niche  facing  the  entrance,  and  a  large  recess  on  the  east 
side,  with  seats  cut  in  the  rock  along  the  west  side  and  south 
end.  It  is  a  natural  cave  artificially  enlarged,  and  bears  the 
marks  of  great  antiquity.     Many  curious  designs  and  inscrip- 


.MUKIIKAKAH THE    PLACE    OF    SACRIFICE.  247 

tions  are  cut  on  the  wall,  some  in  old  Phoenician  and  Greek, 
others  in  unknown  characters.  This  grotto  is  held  in  great 
veneration  by  Jews,  Christians,  and  Mussulmans,  and  for  some 
reason  the  Druzes  come  every  year  and  sacrifice  a  lamb  at  its 
entrance.  Tlicre  are  many  other  caves  in  this  neighborhood, 
once  tlie  retreat  of  pious  hermits,  now  the  lair  of  wild  beasts 
and  half-naked  Arabs. 

Afukhrakah,  the  ])lace  of  burning,  and  traditional  site  of 
Eli  jail's  sacrifice,  is  a  truncated  cone  not  over  one  hundred  yards 
in  diameter  on  the  top,  at  the  extreme  south-eastern  point  of  the 
Carniel  range.  It  was  probably  at  one  time  covered  with  a 
forest  of  oaks,  as  the  trunks  of  several  large  trees  are  still  stand- 
ing ;  and  it  is  just  such  an  eminence  as  the  followers  of  Baal 
would  select  for  their  worship.  Some  old  foundations,  a  large 
open  cistern,  with  many  dressed  stones  lying  round,  would  in- 
dicate that  some  kind  of  a  temple  had  once  crowned  its  crest. 
On  the  summit,  where  the  Tishbite's  altar  is  supposed  to  have 
stood,  the  native  rock  crops  out,  forming  a  natural  platform 
which  can  be  seen  from  almost  every  point  on  the  mountain  and 
terrace  below.  The  locality,  the  name,  and  all  the  surround- 
ings, favor  the  supposition  that  this  is  the  identical  spot  where 
it  was  demonstrated  by  fire  from  heaven  that  there  was  still  a 
God  in  Israel. 

The  view  from  this  point  is  very  grand.  On  the  west  and 
south  all  the  plain  of  Sharon,  and  the  sea-coast  for  fifty  miles, 
can  be  seen ;  to  the  north  the  verdant  mountains  of  Galilee, 
with  Great  Ilermon  in  the  distance,  head  and  shoulders  above 
his  fellows,  radiant  in  midsummer  with  the  snows  of  winter. 
Eastward  the  view  is  unsurpassed;  at  your  feet  fiows  the 
Kishon,  where  the  priests  of  Baal  were  slaughtered,  and  beyond 
it  the  great  plain  of  Esdraelon,  not  only  the  battle-field,  but 


248  BIBLE   LANDS. 

granary  of  Palestine,  yellow  with  its  rich  harvest  ripe  for  the 
sickle.  Tabor  rises  np  beantifnlly  directly  in  front  of  yon,  with 
the  Jordan  valley  and  niuuntaiiis  of  the  Ilauran  in  the  back- 
ground. Next  comes  Little  Ilermon  on  the  right,  with  the 
villages  of  Kain  and  Endor  on  her  slopes,  and  Shunem  at  her 
base.  One  can  almost  fancy  he  sees  the  prophet's  room  upon 
the  wall,  and  the  Shunammite  riding  across  the  plain  in  the  heat 
of  the  day,  to  tell  Elisha  of  her  son's  sudden  death.  Then 
comes  Gilboa,  Mount  Gilboa,  where  Saul  and  his  three  sons  fell 
in  the  battle,  and  the  shield  of  the  mighty  was  cast  away.  On 
a  low  spur  of  the  mountain  jutting  out  into  the  plain  are  the 
ruins  of  Jczrecl.  This  is  the  site  of  Naboth's  vineyard.  Here 
Ahab  built  his  ivory  palace,  and  three  successive  kings  of  Is- 
rael reigned.  Here,  also,  Joram  was  pierced  to  the  heart  by 
Jehu,  and  the  profligate  Jezebel  trodden  under  foot  and  thrown 
to  the  dogs. 

This  locality  fulfills  all  the  conditions  of  the  inspired  narra- 
tive. The  mountain  here  breaks  oS  in  terraces  to  the  plain,  a 
thousand  feet  below,  and  can  easily  be  ascended  from  all  sides. 
In  a  depression  on  the  north  side,  about  one  third  down,  is  a 
copious  fountain  walled  round  with  ancient  masonry,  which 
may  have  supplied  the  water  used  on  the  occasion.  The 
Kishon  sweeps  close  by  its  eastern  base,  and  a  mound  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  called  Tell  el  Kusis— "  The  Hill  of  the 
Priests" — is  pointed  out  as  the  spot  where  the  false  prophets 
were  slain.  What  interest  gathers  about  this  spot !  On  this 
lofty  eminence,  in  the  presence  of  all  Israel,  the  great  contro- 
versy was  settled  as  to  who  was  the  true  and  only  God.  How 
noble  the  conduct  of  Elijah  on  that  occasion  1  Though  he  stood 
alone,  confronted  by  eight  hundred  and  fifty  prophets  of  Baal, 
his  faith  did  not  stagger  for  a  moment.    Fearlessly  he  reproved 


i«^  --^   1  Je'       / 


A     Am\     11    J    \i 


m   \      I  niiiii{iiAi|iiiiiiiiifii!iiiiiiiiii|iii|{||!ii 


251 

Aliab,  and  propounded  the  important  question  to  the  people, 
"  How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?  "  His  proposition, 
to  submit  the  question  to  God,  was  accepted,  and  the  test  was 
at  once  to  be  made.  The  priests  of  Baal  prepared  their  sacrri- 
fice.  From  morning  till  noon,  and  from  noon  till  evening, 
they  called  in  vain  upon  their  god,  "  O  Baal,  hear  us."  Then 
came  the  momentous  hour !  Elijah,  the  only  prophet  of  Jeho- 
vah left,  prepared  his  offering.  The  vast  multitude  waited,  in 
breathless  expectation,  the  result.  The  hopes  of  the  world 
•centered  upon  that  rude  altar.  The  sun  was  rapidly  sinking 
beneath  the  horizon.  All  eyes  were  now  fixed  upon  Elijah. 
An  earnest  prayer  ascended  to  God.  Instantly  fire  from  heaven 
consumed  the  sacrifice.  The  people,  blinded  by  the  light, 
buried  their  faces  in  the  dust ;  then,  with  one  voice,  exclaimed, 
"  The  Lord,  he  is  the  God !     The  Lord,  he  is  the  God !  " ' 

The  mountain  has  ever  since  been  regarded  as  holy  ground. 
Pythagoras,  Yespasian,  and  many  others,  have  come  from  afar 
to  touch  the  "  mount  that  burned  with  fire,"  and  the  event  is 
still  celebrated  by  an  annual  feast  on  the  20th  of  July,  which 
is  the  great  festival  of  the  year.  We  were  present  on  one 
occasion  at  the  celebration  of  this  feast.  Thousands  were  in 
attendance  from  all  parts  of  the  country ;  some  from  as  far  as 
Damascus.  They  generally  come  in  parties  consisting  of  vil- 
lages or  families,  bringing  their  own  provision,  and  each  party 
%  lamb  or  kid  to  make  merry  with,  fattened  for  the  occasion, 
iv^hich  is  slaughtered  and  eaten,  not  as  a  sacrifice,  but  as  a 
memorial  feast.  There  was  no  particular  religious  ceremony 
observed,  nothing  instructive  or  inspiring,  but  eating  and 
drinking,  dancing  and  shooting,  seemed  to  be  the  order  of  the 
day — more  in  keeping  with  pagan  rites  than  Christian  worship 

'  1  Kings  xviii,  39. 


252  BIBLE    LANDS. 

All  descriptions  I  have  ever  read  of  this  locality  represent 
the  altar  as  near,  but  not  upon,  the  summit,  and  the  sea  as  not 
visible  from  the  place  of  sacrifice,  which  are  incorrect.  The 
altar  stood  upon  the  top  of  Carmel,  in  full  view  of  all  Israel, 
and  from  this  point  the  sea  can  be  distinctly  seen. 

To  harmonize  the  locality  and  narrative :  When  Ahab,  after 
the  slaughter  of  the  priests,  returned  to  the  place  of  sacrifice, 
Elijah  must  have  gone  to  some  lower  point  on  Carmel  to 
pray  for  rain ;  probably  stopped  on  tlie  terrace  near  the  spring, 
from  which  a  view  of  the  Mediterranean  is  shut  out  by  a 
western  spur  of  the  mountain;  and  his  servant  would  have 
to  "  go  up  "  perhaps  fifty  feet  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  sea, 
and  still  higher  to  tell  Ahab  to  "  prepare  his  chariot,"  and  get 
himself  down  before  the  great  rain  storm  broke  upon  the 
mountain.  It  is  clear  to  my  mind  that  Ahab  at  this  time  wa& 
some  distance  above  Elijah ;  and  this  agrees  with  the  wliole 
record,  from  which  it  appears  the  king  went  up  to  the  place  of 
sacrifice,  or  summit  of  Carmel,  and  the  prophet  only  to  the  ter- 
race lower  down.  One  thing  is  certain,  there  is  no  point  near 
where  the  altar  stood  from  which  the  sea  is  not  visible.  Sa 
the  place  of  sacrifice  could  not  have  been  the  place  of  prayer, 
or  the  servant  of  Elijah  would  have  had  no  occasion  -in  fact, 
it  would  have  been  impossible— to  go  up  higher  to  obtain  a 
view  of  the  sea.  And  is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the 
prophet  would  seek  some  retired  spot  where  he  could  be  alono 
in  prayer  with  God,  and  not  return  to  the  summit  where  the 
noisy  multitude  were  feasting  and  drinking  ? 

Great  changes  have  taken  place  since  the  lone  prophet 
erected  his  altar  on  this  mount,  but  the  identity  of  the  place 
has  never  been  questioned  ;  and  though  Carmel  may  languish^ 
the  name  of  Elijah  the  Tishbite  shall  never  die ! 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

FROM    JERUSALEM    TO    DAilASCUS. 

Tent  Life  —  Gibeah  of  Benjamin  —  Bethel — Curious  Legend — Shiloh — Jacob's 
Well — Shechem — Nazareth — Sea  of  Galilee — Site  of  Capernaum — Waters 
of  Merom — Dan — Caesarea  Philippi — Crossing  Ilermon — Tomb  of  Nimrod — 
Damascus. 

WITII  good  tents,  liorses  and  dragoman,  there  is  now  no 
difficulty  in  traveling  from  one  end  of  Palestine  to  tlie 
otlier,  and,  with  the  Bible  as  a  guide-book,  locate  nearly  every 
place  of  religious  interest.  And  there  is  something  fascinating, 
almost  inspiring,  in  such  a  trip  ;  the  dews  of  night  are  coohng 
and  refreshing ;  the  atmosphere  clear  and  exhilarating ;  every 
hill  and  dale  and  plain  in  the  spring-time,  covered  with  wild 
flowers ;  and  the  mind  is  kept  constantly  excited  by  the  sacred 
and  historic  memories  awakened  by  every  tree  and  rock  and 
ruin  by  the  way. 

True,  there  is  nothing  very  striking  or  grand  in  the  scenery, 
yet  it  possesses  an  interest  greater  than  any  other  land,  when 
we  call  up  the  ancient  men  born  among  its  craggy  hills  and 
cradled  in  its  little  wadies,  and  whose  bodies  still  sleep  in  its 
rock-he^vn  tombs.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  very  beautiful ;  but 
who  thinks  of  the  beautiful  when  visiting  a  grave-yard,  or 
strolling  over  a  battle-field  ?  Palestine  contains  the  tomb  of 
Christ ;  here  repose  the  ashes  of  the  Patriarchs,  and  this  is  the 
world's  great  moral  battle-field,  where  the  Captain  of  our  sal- 
vation stormed  the  citadel  of  sin  and  death,  and  "  brought  life 
and  immortahty  to  light."  25b 


254 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


The  events  of  the  remote  past  seem  to  have  occurred  but 
yesterday.  Christ  ajDpears  every- where  present,  and  you  can 
ahnost  fancy  you  hear  his  voice,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
alway."  The  narratives  of  the  New  Testament  become  hving 
realities,  and  so  strikino;  is  the  harmony  between  the  text  of 


lAMASCUS    GATE,   JERUSALK 


Scripture  and  the  landscape,  and  so  wonderfully  do  they 
accord,  the  very  scenery  is  like  a  new  gospel,  or  fresh  revela- 
tion from  God. 

Going  out  of  the  Damascus  gate,  and  taking  the  old  Roman 
road  leading  north — the  very  same  along  which  Chrfst  must 
have  journeyed  on  his  way  to  Galilee — in  about  one  hour  we 


BETHEL THE    HOUSE    OF    GOD.  255 

reach  tlie  ruins  of  Gibeali  of  Benjamin,  once  the  royal  residence 
of  Saul,  Israel's  first  king,  and  where  Eizpah  watched  with  so 
much  maternal  tenderness  the  dead  bodies  of  her  two  sons,  from 
"  the  beginning  of  the  barley  harvest," '  about  the  month  of 
May,  till  the  autumn  rains  began  to  fall,  in  October  or  Novem- 
ber. In  the  Orient  they  bury  the  dead  very  sliallow,  and  this 
devoted  mother  during  all  that  time  watched  the  graves  of  her 
children,  keeping  off  the  vultures  by  day  and  the  jackals  and 
hyenas  by  night,  from  devouring  their  remains. 

Tlie  names  of  towns  in  the  East  often  apply  to  the  districts 
in  which  they  arc  located.  Bethany,  for  instance,  not  only 
relates  to  the  home  of  Mary  and  Martha,  but  to  the  district  of 
whicli  it  is  the  principal  village;  and  by  Gibeah  we  are  to 
understand  not  only  the  royal  city  of  Saul,  but  the  district  of 
which  it  was  the  capital.  Tliis  will  harmonize  the  passages 
that  refer  to  "Gibeah  in  the  field,"'  and  Saul's  abode  being 
"  in  the  nttcrmost  part  of  Gibeah  under  a  pomegranate-tree;"* 
and  of  his  coming  "  out  of  the  field  with  the  herd,"  *  to  meet 
the  messengers  from  Jabesh.  It  was  also  here  that  the  shock- 
ing offense  was  committed  against  a  helpless  woman,  that  well- 
nigh  involved  the  extermination  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin. 

Eesuming  our  journey,  in  two  hours  we  come  to  the  site  of 
ancient  Bethel — the  house  of  God — so  called  in  commemora- 
tion of  God's  manifestations  here  to  his  servants  the  patriarchs. 
Near  this  Abraham,  when  he  first  entered  Canaan,  built  an 
altar,  "  and  called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  '  Here  Jacob 
had  his  wonderful  vision  of  the  ladder  reaching  from  earth  to 
heaven,  on  which  the  angels  of  God  ascended  and  descended ; 
and  it  was  here,  in  after  centuries,  the  ark  of  the  covenant  was 

*  2  Samuel  xxi,  10.  »  Judges  xx,  31.  »  1  Samuel  xiv,  2. 

*  1  Samuel  li,  6.  »  Genesis  xii,  8. 


256  SIBLE   LANDS. 

kept  for  many  years,  in  the  days  of  Plunehas.  Bethel  waa 
situated  on  the  highway  between  Jerusalem  and  Shechem.  Por- 
tions of  the  paved  road-bed  may  still  be  seen,  and  a  few  of  the 
old  mile-stones  are  yet  standing  and  others  \ying  by  the  way. 

The  su])posed  site  of  Jacob's  vision  is  marked  by  the  ruins 
of  a  square  tower  half  a  mile  to  the  east  of  the  modern  village ; 
and  as  we  rode  up  to  the  jjlace  an  Arab,  wrapped  in  his  aha, 
or  cloak,  lay  fast  asleep  by  the  waj^-side,  with  a  largo  stone  for 
his  pillow,  recaUing  the  old  patriarch,  who,  long  centuries  be- 
fore, had  slept  in  the  same  manner,  and  very  near  the  same 
spot,  on  his  way  to  Padan-aram.  This  custom  of  using  stones 
for  pillows  prevails  all  through  Palestine,  the  thick  turbans 
worn  by  the  natives  protecting  the  head,  and  rendering  even 
a  rock  a  comfortable  pillow. 

A  curious  legend  is  told  in  connection  with  this  stone  which 
Jacob  slept  on,  and  afterward  set  up  and  anointed  with  oil. 
After  the  conquest  of  the  country,  according  to  the  tradition, 
this  stone,  known  as  the  "  Stone  of  Destiny,"  was  kept  in  the 
sanctuary  at  Bethel  until  removed  to  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
where  the  ark  of  the  covenant  was  placed  upon  it.  This,  it  is 
said,  was  the  stone  referred  to  by  David  as  that  "  which  the 
builders  rejected,"  but  which  afterward  became  the  "  head  of 
the  corner,"  and  was  destined  for  peculiar  honors!  When 
the  temple  was  destroyed  by  the  Babylonians,  the  Prophet 
Jeremiah,  as  the  story  runs,  with  the  remnant  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah,  migrated  to  Ireland,  taking  "Jacob's  pillow"  with 
them,  and  all  the  Irish  kings  were  crowned  upon  it !  An  Irish 
prince  afterward  conveyed  it  to  Scotland,  and  aU  the  Scottish 
kings  were  crowned  upon  it ;  but  with  its  loss  Ireland  lost  her 
independence,  and  this  is  the  secret  of  all  her  woes.  In  after 
centuries  it  was  removed  to  Westminster  Abbey,  where  it  may 


MIOHMASH.  257 

still  be  seen  in  the  seat  of  the  coronation  chair,  and  upon  it 
all  the  kings  and  queens  of  England,  since  the  days  of  Ed- 
ward Til.  down  to  Victoria,  have  been  crowned,  and  many 
superstitious  people  think  that  so  long  as  England  retains 
possession  of  this  stone,  so  long  wiU  she  maintain  her  ascend- 
ency among  the  nations. 

Ten  minutes'  walk  along  the  ridge  south-east  of  the  old  tower 
are  the  ruins  of  a  large  Christian  church,  probably  built  by  the 
CiTisaders,  marking  the  supposed  camping-place  of  Abraham 
on  his  return  from  Egypt,  and  where  he  parted  with  his  nephew 
Lot.  The  spot  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  Jordan  val- 
ley, and  you  can  distinctly  see  from  this  point  with  the  naked 
eye  the  traditional  site  of  Zoar,  near  the  southern  end  of  the 
Dead  Sea,  thus  removing  at  least  all  topographical  objections 
to  the  location  of  the  "  little  city." 

On  a  lower  spur  of  this  mountain  range,  and  just  below  where 
Abraham  erected  his  altar,  are  large  rock-hewn  reservoirs,  and 
the  ruins  of  a  very  old  city,  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  Ai, 
the  second  place  taken  by  Joshua  in  the  conquest  of  the  land, 
and  where  Achan's  sin  brought  defeat  and  disgrace  upon  the 
people  of  God.*  Still  farther  east,  perched  like  an  eagle's  nest 
on  a  craggy,  almost  inaccessible  cliff,  is  Michmash,  the  scene  of 
Jonathan's  bold  adventure,  when  with  only  his  armor-bearer 
he  surprised  and  put  to  flight  the  whole  garrison  of  the  Phil- 
istines." And  just  here,  where  the  mountain  slopes  down  into 
the  valley  up  which  winds  the  road  from  Jericho  to  Bethel, 
EUsha  was  returning  from  Gilgal  when  the  naughty  children 
mocked  this  old  servant  of  God,  and  two  hungry  bears  came 
"  out  of  the  wood  "  and  destroyed  f orty-and-two  of  their  num- 
ber.'    Bears  are  still  found  in  this  region,  and  if  the  young 

'  Joshua  vii,  21.  « 1  Samuel  xiv,  4.  »  2  Kings  ii,  23. 


258  BIBLE   LANDS. 

trees  were  allowed  to  grow  forests  would  again  cover  these 
hills,  as  when  Joshua's  army  lay  in  ambush  on  their  slopes. 
It  was  no  doubt  up  this  same  valley  the  Hon  came  from  the 
jungles  along  the  Jordan  that  slew  the  disobedient  prophet 
who  came  out  of  Judah. 

After  the  formation  of  the  new  kingdom  of  Israel,  Jeroboam 
selected  Bethel  as  his  royal  residence,  building  here  great  palaces 
and  "  houses  of  ivory  " — inlaid  with  ivory — making  it  the  seat 
of  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  thus  turning  the 
house  of  God  into  a  house  of  idols,  until  God  in  his  wrath  rent 
the  altar  asunder,  and  scattered  its  ashes  to  the  four  winds  of 
heaven. 

But  little  is  left  of  the  old  city.  The  prediction  of  Amos, 
that  "  Bethel  shall  come  to  naught,"  has  been  fulfilled  to  the 
letter ;  for  aU  that  remains  of  this  memorable  place  are  a  few 
hovels  and  a  large  ancient  reservoir  fed  by  a  living  spring,  to 
which  the  viEage  maidens  may  be  seen  coming  with  their 
water  pitchers  as  of  old,  but  entirely  ignorant  of  the  histoiy  of 
the  place,  and  indifferent  to  its  sacred  associations. 

The  first  night  after  leaving  Jerusalem  we  encamped  at 
Shiloh,  under  a  venerable  oak  near  the  ruins  of  an  old  church, 
supposed  to  mark  the  spot  where  the  tabernacle  was  first  set 
up  after  the  conquest  of  Canaan,  and  where  Eli  ofliciated  as 
high-priest,  and  little  "Samuel  ministered  before  the  Lord." 
The  following  day  we  lunched  at  Jacob's  well,  on  the  Plain  of 
Moreh,  where  Abraham  first  pitched  his  tent  in  the  Land  ol 
Promise.  The  weU  is  one  hundred  and  five  feet  deep,  cut 
through  the  solid  rock,  and  without  doubt  is  the  same  on  the 
curb  of  which  the  Saviour  of  our  world,  weary  and  faint,  rested 
in  the  heat  of  the  day,  when  he  delivered  his  memorable  dis- 
coiu'se  to  the  woman  of  Samaria.     A  ride  of  five  minutes  over 


'■tsmmuMmi 


:N'ABL0US ANCIENT    SIIECHE3I, 


261 


the  plain,  clirecti}'  north,  brings  us  to  Joseph's  tomb,  an  open 
inciosnre  about  twenty  by  thirty  feet,  containing,  beyond  ques- 
tion, the  ashes  of  Jacob's  beloved  son. 

Nablous,  the  old  city  of  Shechem,  our  camping-place  for  the 
night,  is  situated  a  little  way  up  the  valley  to  the  west,  with 
Mount  Gerizim  on  the  south  and  Ebal  on  the  north.  It  was 
here  Joshua  read  the  law  "before  all  the  congregation  of  Is- 


4K 


rael," '  and  we  have  in  the  topography  of  this  locality  a  won- 
derful corroboration  of  the  inspired  narrative.  Here  are  two 
vast  amphitheaters  facing  each  other,  and  forming  a  natural 
whisper-gallery,  where  a  man  reading  with  a  clear  voice  could 
be  heard  distinctly  by  a  million  persons  ;  showing  that  there 
was  nothing  impossible  nor  miraculous  in  the  event  re- 
corded. In  our  illustration  Gerizim  is  to  the  right,  and  it 
was  on  the  summit  of  this  mountain   the    Samaritans   l)uilt 

'  Joshua  viii,  35. 


262  BLBLE   LANDS. 

their  temple,  and  even  to  the  present  annually  observe  the 
Passover. 

Breaking  camp  early,  and  passing  through  Samaria,  long  the 
capital  of  Israel,  with  its  once  beautiful  colonnade  half  buried 
in  rubbish,  and  Dothan,  where  Elisha  smote  his  enemies  with 
bhndness  and  where  Joseph  was  sold  to  the  Ishmaehtes,  we 
crossed  the  eastern  spurs  of  Carmel,  leaving  the  scene  of  Elijah's 
sacrifice  to  our  left,  and,  descending  into  the  plain,  found  our 
tents  pitched  on  the  site  of  Naboth's  vineyard,  near  the  Fountain 
of  Jezreel,  where  the  infamous  Jezebel  was  thrown  to  the  dogs. 
It  was  up  this  vaUey  Jehu  furiously  drove  in  his  chariot,  and 
out  on  the  plain  before  us  is  where  "  the  sword  of  the  Lord 
and  of  Gideon"  prevailed  against  the  Midianites.  Resuming 
our  journey  on  the  morrow,  crossing  the  broad,  rich  Plain  of 
Esdraelon,  and  sweeping  round  the  base  of  Little  Hermon  and 
Tabor,  leaving  Shunem  and  Nain  on  our  right,  we  began  the 
difficult  ascent  of  the  Galilean  hills,  and  after  an  hour's  climb- 
ing reached  the  quiet  village  of  Nazareth,  the  early  home  of 
the  Son  of  God  on  earth.  What  memories  the  name  of  "  Jesus 
of  Nazareth"  awaken!  Among  these  hills  Christ  spent  his 
childhood ;  on  this  landscape  he  must  have  gazed ;  at  the  fount- 
ain from  which  we  drink  he  must  often  have  quenched  his 
thirst ;  here  he  labored  for  his  daily  bread ;  here  he  was  trained 
for  his  life  sublime ;  here  he  taught  in  the  synagogue  ;  and  over 
one  of  these  neighboring  cMs  his  own  people,  after  rejecting 
his  preaching,  would  have  hurled  him  to  death  had  not  his 
divinity  saved  his  humanity. 

From  Nazareth  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee  via  Cana,  where  Christ 
performed  his  first  miracle,  is  an  easy  day's  ride.  On  the  way 
we  stopped  for  luncheon  on  the  traditional  mount  where  Christ 
dehvered  his  inimitable  sermon,  and  miraculously  fed  the  hun- 


NAZARETH    AND    SEA    OF    GALILEE. 


2(33 


gvx  tliousands  wlio  waited  on  his  ministry.  Here,  also,  was 
fonglit,  in  A.  D.  11  ST,  tlie  last  great  battle  between  the  Cru- 
saders and  Mohammedans,  that  sealed  the  fate  of  Palestine. 
Eather  singular  that  this  fearful  slaughter  of  Christians  should 
have  taken  place  on  the  reputed  spot  where  the  Prince  of  Peace 
taught  our  world  the  divine  jDrecepts  of  charity  and  forgiveness. 


Mounting  our  horses,  we  soon  began  descending  from  the  high 
table-land,  and  by  sundown  were  in  our  tents  on  the  shores  of 
the  lake  just  below  the  town  of  Tiberias — the  ancient  capital 
of  Galilee.  This  lake  is  fifteen  miles  long  by  about  half  that 
distance  wide,  and  lies  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below  the 
level  of  the  ocean.     It  still  abounds  with  fish,  and  its  shores  are 


264  BIBLE    LANDS. 

covered  with  small  shells,  and  bordered  with  oleanders  and  other 
flowering  shrubs.  What  could  be  more  delightful  than  to  stroll 
along  the  pebbly  beach,  bathe  in  the  limpid  waters,  and  be  lulled 
to  rest  at  night  by  the  rippling  waves  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  ? 
Or,  after  a  morning  walk  on  its  shores,  or  a  sail  over  its  glassy 
surface,  maJie  your  breakfast  on  fish  taken  from  the  same  lake 
where  the  disciples  toiled  all  night  and  caught  nothing  ? 

About  four  miles  north  of  Tiberias  is  the  village  of  Magdala, 
the  native  town  of  Mary  Magdalene ;  and  two  miles  west  of 
this,  in  a  wild,  rocky  gorge,  are  the  ruins  of  Irbid,  and  of  an 
old  castle  perched  on  the  top  of  a  high  cliff,  in  the  sides  of 
which  are  numerous  caverns.  This  undoubtedly  is  ancient 
Arbela,  from  which  Herod  the  Great  dislodged  the  band  of 
robbers  who  were  such  a  terror  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  region. 
According  to  Josephus,  Herod  first  laid  siege  to  the  caverns^ 
but  without  avail.  He  then  lowered  parties  of  soldiers  in  large 
boxes  by  chains  from  above,  and  with  fire  and  sword  attacked 
those  who  defended  the  entrance,  dragging  them  out  of  their 
dens  with  long  hooks,  and  hurling  them  down  the  precipice ; 
and  in  this  way  the  place  was  finally  taken  and  the  robbers 


Magdala  is  on  the  southern  edge  of  the  rich  Plain  of  Gen- 
nesareth,  that  here  puts  into  the  sea.  On  the  northern  side  of 
this  plain,  which  is  about  three  miles  wide,  is  Khdn  Minyeh, 
near  the  large  spring  of  Ain  et  Tin,  which  is  evidently  the 
fountain  of  Capernaum  mentioned  by  Josephus  as  on  this  plain ; 
and  the  ruins  on  a  low  mound  a  short  distance  south  of  the 
khAn  and  fountain  in  all  probability  mark  the  site  of  Caper- 
naum, the  adopted  "  city  "  of  Jesus.  This  is  on  the  great  Da- 
mascus road,  in  a  well-watered,  fertile  plain ;  and  if  Capernaum 
was  "upon  the  sea-coast"  in  "the  land  of   Gennesareth,"  as 


iw 


HKHOD    DESTROYING    THE    ROBBERS. 


SITE    OF   CAPERNAUM.  267 

Matthew  affirms,  it  must  have  been  here,  and  could  not  have 
been  at  Tel  Hum.  Quaresmius  states  positively  that  it  was  by 
this  khdn.  Dr.  Eobinson  also  locates  it  here,  and  the  Pales- 
tine Exploration  Society  have  lately  found  the  very  name,  pre- 
served by  the  natives  and  applied  to  these  ruins,  which  are  not 
very  extensive,  most  of  the  material  having  been  carried  away 
to  build  up  Tiberias. 

But  how  terrible  the  judgments  of  God  on  the  cities  up- 
braided by  Christ !  Capernaum,  once  "  exalted  unto  heaven," 
now  thrust  down  so  low,  its  very  name  and  site  are  in  dispute. 
As  for  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida,  they  have  been  entirely  oblit- 
erated, not  a  soul  living  upon  the  site  of  either  of  these  cities. 
All  is  desolation,  death,  and  ruin.     What  a  woe  befell  them ! 

Every  spot  along  the  shores  of  this  lake  seemed  to  be  holy 
ground.  Here  the  Saviour  spent  most  of  his  public  life ;  here 
he  wrought  his  greatest  miracles  ;  and  it  was  here  he  chose  his 
twelve  apostles.  How  the  hours  flew  as  we  wandered  along 
the  beach,  picking  up  pebbles,  and  plucking  wild  flowers  from 
every  sacred  spot.  Many  wild  ducks,  geese,  pelicans,  and  other 
water-fowl,  were  swimming  about  on  its  surface,  and  in  the 
neighboring  jungle,  at  night,  could  be  heard  the  howl  of  the 
woK  or  cry  of  the  panther,  jackal,  and  leopard,  fulfilling  most 
literally  the  prophecies  concerning  this  land.' 

If  these  prophecies  had  been  written  yesterday,  they  could 
not  more  correctly  and  graphically  describe  the  present  condi- 
tion of  this  sea  and  its  surroundings.  Every  prediction  has 
become  an  historic  fact.  And  in  the  ruins  of  the  cities  that 
once  stood  upon  its  shores  we  have  an  argument  in  support  of 
the  divine  record  that  all  the  ingenuity  of  modem  criticism 
and  scientific  skepticism  can  never  overthrow. 

'  Leviticus  xxvi,  22-35. 


268  BIBLE    LANDS. 

Crossing  a  lofty  ridge,  with  Safed — "  tlie  city  set  on  a  hill" — 
to  the  west,  we  stopped  for  lunch  at  Khan  Jubb  Yusuff — the 
Khdn  of  Joseph — said  to  inclose  the  pit  into  which  Joseph  was 
thi'own  by  his  brethren,  though  we  think  Dothan  has  stronger 
claims ;  camping  at  night  on  the  banks  of  Nahr  Hendaj,  a 
mountain  stream  that  flows  into  Lake  Huleh,  the  "  Waters  of 
Merom,"  where  Joshua  slew  Jabin  king  of  Hazor.' 

Next  morning  we  arose  early,  and,  riding  round  the  west 
shore  of  the  lake,  hugging  closely  the  rocky  hills  to  avoid  the 
great  marsh  that  surrounds  this  lake,  we  crossed  a  rich  but 
swampy  plain,  black  with  grazing  herds  of  buffalo,  and  sicken 
ing  from  the  stench  of  numerous  carcasses,  the  effects  of  a  late 
storm  that  destroyed  many  of  these  beasts,  upon  which  scores 
of  eagles  and  vultures  were  preying,  illustrating  the  saying, 
"  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered 
together."  After  passing  the  Lebanon  branch  of  the  Jordan 
on  an  old  Roman  bridge,  we  came  in  a  few  miles  to  Tell  el 
Kady,  the  Dan  of  Scripture — one  of  the  sources  of  the  Jordan, 
and  largest  fountain  in  Syria,  where  we  lunched  under  the 
shade  of  a  grand  old  terebinth,  standing  directly  over  the 
spring,  and  shading  with  its  broad  branches  the  portal  of  the 
river  of  God.  Here  stood  ancient  Dan,  the  most  northern 
city  in  Palestine  proper ;  here  Jeroboam  built  his  temple  and 
set  up  his  golden  caK,  and  it  was  here  Abraham,  centuries 
before,  rescued  his  nephew  Lot  and  defeated  the  Mesopotamian 
kings  on  their  retreat  from  the  Jordan  valley. 

Our  ride  from  Dan  to  Banias,  or  Caesarea  Phihppi,  the  other 
source  of  the  Jordan,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night,  lay 
through  a  lovely  district,  shaded  with  terebinths  and  the  "  oaks 
of  Bashan."     As  we  were  riding  along,  admiring  the  beautiful 

•  Joshua  xi,  6. 


llill 


m 


M 


.ii9iHiiiiiaiis 


% 
...i:i!iiiiiiiiii:,ili;i!i;i 


ANCIENT    DAN.  271 

scenery,  our  attention  was  arrested  by  a  Bedouin  in  gay  attire 
on  a  swift  dromedary,  hurrying  by  us  as  if  on  some  important 
mission.  In  a  few  minutes  he  halted,  and,  taking  his  position 
by  the  road-side,  sahited,  in  the  most  profound  manner,  each 
one  of  our  party  as  we  passed  along.  On  inquiring  the  mean- 
ing of  all  this  civility,  we  were  informed  by  our  dragoman 
that  the  Arab  was  the  Sheik  of  that  territory,  and  wished  to 
show  all  respect  to  the  Americans  passing  through  his  country. 


Our  tents  were  pitched  in  an  olive  grove,  near  where  the  Jor- 
dan issues  from  the  mountain,  and  during  the  night  we  were 
much  disturbed  by  the  jackals  and  other  wild  beasts  that  kept 
howling  round  our  camp.  Mr.  Holman  Hunt,  the  eminent 
artist,  encamped  one  night  in  this  same  grove,  and,  being  dis- 
turbed about  midnight  by  some  noise,  looked  out  of  his  tent, 
and  saw  a  large  hyena  in  the  camp  snuffing  the  breath  of  the 
muleteers,  who  were  sleeping  on  the  ground,  by  putting  its 
nose  to  their  mouths.     This  was  done  to  ascertain  whether  they 


272  BIBLE    LAND^. 

were  dead  or  alive.  Finding  tliem  alive,  the  hyena  walked 
leisurely  away,  as,  fortunately,  this  animal  feeds  only  on  putrid 
flesh. 

As  Minerva  leaped  full  armed  from  the  brain  of  Jove,  so 
the  Jordan  here  bursts  a  full  river  from  its  hidden  source,  and, 
sweeping  on  in  its  course  for  two  hundred  miles,  plunges  into 
the  Sea  of  Death,  and  is  seen  no  more.  Beautiful  symbol  of 
man's  career !  The  most  remarkable  river  in  the  world,  flowing 
throuo'hout  its  entire  length  beneath  the  level  of  the  sea. 


C^SAREA    PHILIPPI. 


Csesarea  Philippi  occupies  one  of  the  most  picturesque  sites 
in  Syria,  being  situated  on  a  terrace  at  the  foot  of  Hermon,  in 
the  midst  of  olive  groves  and  forests  of  oak,  gladdened  by 
numerous  springs  and  waterfalls.  It  derived  its  name  from 
Csesar  Tiberius  and  Philip  the  Tetrarch,  son  of  Herod  the 
Great.  This  region  was  the  great  seat  of  idolatry  among  the 
ancients,  and  the  whole  country  is  dotted  with  the  remains  of 
old  pagan  temples.  When  the  Canaanites  yet  held  the  land 
there  was  a  temple  here  dedicated  to  Baal-gad ;  and  just  above 


C^SAREA    PHTLIPPI.  273 

the  principal  fountain  there  is  a  large  grotto  in  the  face  of  the 
mountain,  once  used  by  the  Greeks  as  a  temple  for  the  wor- 
sliip  of  Pan,  as  niches  in  the  sides  of  the  cliff  and  numerous 
inscriptions  fully  attest ;  here,  also,  stood  the  magnificent  tem- 
ple built  by  Herod  the  Great,  and  dedicated  to  Augustus  Caesar, 
where  Titus,  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  was  feted  by 
Agrippa,  and  returned  thanks  to  his  god  for  the  success  of  his 
campaign.  All  these  temples  of  Baal,  Pan,  and  Caesar  are 
now  gone,  but  the  rock  on  which  they  stood  remains  unchanged, 
and  on  this  solid  platform  Christ  may  have  stood,  and  to  this 
firm  foundation  may  have  referred  when  he  laid  the  corner- 
stone of  our  Zion,  and  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  Church  ;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it ;" '  beautifully  setting  forth  the  stability  and  per- 
petuity of  his  kingdom.  Eusebius,  who  visited  this  city  at 
the  close  of  the  third  century,  says  that  the  afiiicted  woman 
who  had  vainly  "  spent  all  her  living  on  physicians,"  and  who 
was  healed  by  merely  touching  the  border  of  Christ's  garment,' 
was  a  native  of  this  place ;  that  her  house  was  still  standing  in 
his  day ;  and  that  the  incident  was  commemorated  by  two 
bronze  statues  which  he  saw  elevated  on  a  stone  base  at  the 
entrance  to  her  house,  one  representing  "  the  woman  on 
her  knees,  with  her  hands  stretched  out  before  her,  like  one 
entreating ; "  the  other,  of  "  Christ,  standing  erect,  clad  in  a 
mantle,  and  stretching  out  his  hand  to  the  woman."  *  It  is 
said  these  monuments  were  destroyed  by  Julian  the  Apostate. 
If  not,  they  may  stiU  be  buried  beneath  the  debris  of  the  old 
city,  and  some  day  may  be  recovered. 

This  same  author  gives  an  interesting  description  of  the  cave 
and  fountain  we   have  mentioned.     He  says:   "At  Caesarea 

'  Matthew  xvi,  18.        »  Luke  viii,  43.        '  Eusebius,  book  vi,  chapter  18. 
18 


274 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


Pliilip23i,  which  is  called  Banias  by  the  Phoenicians,  there  are 
springs  shown  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  from  which  the 
Jordan  rises,  and  that  on  a  certain  festival  day  there  was 
usnally  a  person  thrown  into  these  springs,  and  that  the  victim, 
by  the  power  of  some  demon,  in  a  w^onderful  manner  entirely 


^ 


js^f -■*:  - 


■"S5<.-"'^^-^?  4i<'ii,'';o'>x'; 


BANIAS    AND    GROTTO. 


disappeared."  Josephns,  also,  in  referring  to  this  grotto,'  de- 
scribes it  "  as  a  very  fine  cave  in  the  mountain,  under  which 
is  a  great  cavity  in  the  earth,  and  that  the  cavern  is  abrupt 
and  prodigiously  deep,  and  full  of  still  water.  Herod  adorned 
this   place,   which  was   already  a   very  remarkable  one,  still 

'  Antiquities,  xv,  10;  Jewish  Wars,  i.  21. 


MOUNT    OF   TRANSFIGURATION.  275 

further,  by  the  erection  of  a  temple  of  white  marble  by  the 
fountains  of  the  Jordan,  which  he  dedicated  to  Caesar.  The 
place  is  called  Panium,  and  beneath  it  a  dark  cave  opens  itself, 
within  which  is  a  horrible  precipice  which  descends  abruptly 
to  a  vast  depth.  It  contains  a  mighty  quantity  of  water,  which 
is  immovable;  and  when  any  thing  is  let  down  to  measui-e 
the  depth  of  the  earth  beneath  the  water,  no  length  of  cord 
is  sufficient  to  reach  it."  Could  this  legend  and  cavern  have 
suggested  to  John  his  imagery  of  the  "  bottomless  pit ; "  and 
the  Jordan  flowing  from  its  mysterious  source  beneath  Her- 
mon,  which  is  more  than  probably  the  Mount  of  Transfigura- 
tion, his  beautiful  description  of  "  the  river  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb  ? " '  The  Jordan,  after  issuing  from  the  mountain,  in 
a  succession  of  sparkling  cascades,  flows  down  the  valley,  giv. 
ing  life,  beauty,  and  fertility  to  the  most  charming  landscape ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  it,  "and  on  either  side  of  the  river," 
are  all  manner  of  tropical  trees  yielding  their  fruits  every 
month,  and  tho  leaves  of  the  trees  are  still  used  "for  the 
heahng  of  the  nations."  Yery  suggestive  of  Paradise;  and 
may  not  this  lovely  spot  have  been  a  part  of  the  garden  planted 
by  the  Lord,'  wherein  the  opening  scene  in  the  history  of  our 
race  transpired  ? 

Breaking  camp  at  an  early  hour,  we  crossed  the  valley  on  a 
stone  bridge,  and,  riding  round  the  walls  and  through  the  city, 
soon  began  the  long  zigzag  ascent  of  Hermon,  the  highest  peak 
of  the  Anti-Lebanon  range,  passing  on  our  way  the  old  Phoeni- 
cian castle  of  Subeibeh,  one  of  the  grandest  ruins  in  Syria,  and 
the  last  stronghold  of  the  Crusaders.  After  hours  of  climbing, 
when  near  the  summit  we  came  upon  vast  fields  of  drifted 

'  Revelation  xxii,  1.  '  Genesis  ii,  8. 


276  BIBLE    LANDS. 

snow ;  deeper  and  deeper  it  became  as  we  advanced.  Our 
horses  soon  began  to  labor,  then  phmge,  finally  they  stuck  fast 
and  were  unable  to  j^roceed.  Holding  a  consultation,  it  was 
determined  to  try  a  path  to  the  left,  but  we  soon  found  it  im- 
practicable.    Next,  we  tried  to  force  a  passage  over  the  ridge, 


CASTLE    SIBEIBEH. 


but  here  met  with  a  high  precipice  over  which  it  was  impossi- 
ble to  go.  The  day  was  intensely  hot,  the  reflection  of  the 
sun  on  the  snow  blistering  our  faces.  In  one  place  we  came 
upon  the  remains  of  a  flock  of  sheep  that  had  been  devoured 
by  wolves,  and  we  had  reasons  for  apprehending  a  similar  fate. 
It  was  a  perilous  hour.     Lofty  mountains  surrounded  us.     In 


MOUNT    OF   TRANSFIGUEATION.  'Z  H 

our  fruitless  efforts  to  get  through  we  lost  our  way.  It  was 
now  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  were  five  hours  from 
our  camping-ground.  Something  must  be  done,  or  the  party 
perish.  At  last  we  made  a  detour  to  the  right  down  the 
mountain,  over  fields  of  lava,  and  through  drifts  of  snow,  our 
poor  horses  struggling,  falling,  bleeding,  almost  dying,  when 
we  fortunately  struck  a  path  that  led  round  the  southern  base 
of  the  mountain,  reaching  our  tents  at  Kefr  Hauwar,  near  the 
traditional  tomb  of  Nimrod,  the  mighty  hunter,  about  an  hour 
after  dark,  faint  and  hungry,  but  thankful  for  our  safe  passage 
of  Hermon.  The  ladies  of  our  party,  Mrs.  A.  K.  Kiddle,  of 
Cincinnati,  and  my  wife,  showed  great  bravery  in  plunging 


through  snow-drifts,  almost  burying  their  hors 


We  reached 


Damascus  by  noon  the  following  day,  but  shall  reserve  for 
another  place  a  description  of  this,  among  the  oldest  cities  in 
the  world. 


IKKIGAIIU^ 


CHAPTER  XV. 

DOWN     TO      JEEIOHO. 

The  Inn  by  the  Way-side — Going  up  to  Adummim — Brook  Cherith— Valley  ef 
Achor — Site  of  Gilgal— Passage  of  the  Jordan— Place  of  Christ's  Baptism — 
— Pilgrims  Bathing — Ancient  Jericho— Singular  Tradition— Quarantania — 
Mount  of  Temptation — Bone  Caverns. 

U  "Pi  OWN  to  Jericho  "  from  Jerusalem,  is  a  trip  taken  by  al- 
U  most  every  traveler  ^asiting  Palestine.  The  distance  is 
perhaps  sixteen  miles,  and  the  descent  near  four  thousand  feet, 
Jericho  being  about  one  thousand  feet  below  the  ocean  level. 
The  road  lies  through  the  "."Wilderness  of  Judea,"  and  the 
journey  is  still  full  of  perils,  from  the  roughness  of  the  way 
and  the  wild  Arabs  every-where  to  be  seen  skulking  among  the 
rocks,  ready  to  pounce  upon  any  wayfaring  man  courageous 
enough  to  venture  into  these  forbidden  grounds  without  proper 
guards. 

On  leaving  Jerusalem  and  going  out  at  St.  Stephen's  gate, 
you  cross  the  Kedron  on  a  stone  bridge  near  the  Garden  of 
Gethsemane,  and,  sweeping  round  Olivet  below  the  tombs  of  the 
prophets,  in  haK  an  hour  you  are  at  Bethany,  once  the  humble 
home  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  hospitable  family  of  Martha, 
Mary,  and  Lazarus.  From  here  you  descend  rapidly  to  En- 
Shemesh — the  Fountain  of  the  Sun — a  fine  spring  now  known 
as  the  "  Well  of  the  Apostles,"  issuing  from  the  eastern  face  of 
a  rocky  ridge,  and  one  of  the  old  landmarks  between  Judah 
and  Benjamin. 

Following  for  two  hours   the  meanderings  of   the  stream 
278 


BEOOK    CHERITH   AND  VALLEY    OF   ACHOR.  279 

flowing  from  this  fountain,  you  come  to  the  traditional  site  of 
tlie  "  inn  by  the  way-side,"  w^here  the  good  Samaritan  left  the 
wounded  man  who  had  fallen  among  thie\'es.  The  spot  is 
marked  by  the  remains  of  an  old  khan,  where  you  can  lunch 
under  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock^  tlie  only  shelter  to  be  found 
in  this,  tlie  most  desolate  and  dangerous  part  of  the  route.  Tliis 
wild  district  is  "  the  going  up  to  Adummim,"  and  is  proverbial 


^ 

S*.^^ 


■jr;^Mi^ 


for  its  bloody  deeds.  St.  Jerome  calls  it  "  the  red,  or  bloody 
way,"  and  a  deep  ravine  through  which  the  road  winds  is  still 
known  as  the  "  Murderer's  Glen."  Here  Sir  Frederick  Hen- 
niker,  a  few  years  since,  was  stripped  and  left  for  dead  by  the 
roadside ;  and  still  later.  Dr.  Leyburn,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  was 
robbed  by  the  Bedouins,  who  to  the  present  infest  this  lonely 
uncultivated  region.    It  was  to  protect  pilgrims  going  over  this 


280 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


dangerous  road  that  the  order  of  Knight  Templars  was  first 
organized,  an  oiSce  now  performed  by  the  Abu  Dis  tribe  of 
Arabs,  with  whom  we  have  a  regular  treaty,  guaranteeing  the 
protection  of  Americans  passing  through  their  territory. 


'^T^-^M  ' 


Cl"' 


BOWN    TO    JERICHO. 


N'o  scenery  in  Palestine  is  wilder  or  grander  than  from 
AdummimtoJericho— mountainsheaped  on  mountainsin  endless 
confusion.  The  road  now  winding  through  tortuous  glens,  then 
over  bold  peaks  and  along  the  brink  of  fearful  precipices,  ren- 
dering one  dizzy  peering  down  into  the  seemingly  bottomless 
depths.  From  one  point  the  view  is  unsurpassed.  Spread  out 
before  you  is  the  whole  Jordan  valley,  with  the  purple-tinted 


VALLEY  OF  THE  JORDAN.  281 

Mountains  of  Moab  beyond.  On  your  right  may  be  seen  the 
Dead  Sea,  rolling  its  leaden  waves  over  the  supposed  site  of 
the  guilty  "  Cities  of  the  Plain,"  with  a  sleepy  haze  floating 
on  the  water,  as  if  "the  smoke  of  their  torment"  was  still 
ascending  to  heaven ;  and  on  your  left  is  "Wady  Kelt,  or  Yalley 
of  Achor — a  deep  rocky  gorge  through  which  the  brook  Che- 
rith  cuts  its  way,  and  where  Achan  was  stoned  to  death  for  his 
covetousness.  The  descent  here  is  very  steep — the  mountain 
breaking  away  abruptly  down  to  the  plain,  rendering  the  ap- 
proach to  Jericho  from  the  west  very  difficult.  In  places  the 
old  paved  Roman  road  may  still  be  seen,  undoubtedly  the  same 
over  which  the  "Man  of  sorrows"  once  pursued  his  weary 
way,  and  by  the  side  of  which  poor  Bartimeus  sat  when  the 
Light  of  the  world  passed  before  him  and  dispelled  the  dark- 
ness forever  from  his  sightless  eyes.' 

About  sundown  we  crossed  the  Yalley  of  Achor,  and  found 
our  tents  pitched  on  the  banks  of  the  "  brook  Cherith,"  where 
Elijah  was  fed  by  the  ravens,  or  Arabs  of  Oreb — a  village  not 
far  from  this — just  as  you  please. 

The  Jordan  valley  at  this  point  is  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles 
wide,  the  soil — if  we  except  the  nitrous  plain  bordering  the 
Dead  Sea — rich  "  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord,"  and  "  well 
watered,"  as  when  Lot  chose  it  for  his  inheritance  before  the 
overthrow  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  No  less  than  six  springs, 
any  one  of  them  sufficient  to  run  a  mill,  and  the  remains  of 
twelve  ancient  aqueducts  for  irrigating  the  plains,  may  still  be 
seen  in  this  immediate  vicinity. 

As  there  is  no  river  so  hallowed  in  its  associations  as  the  Jor- 
dan, having  been  thrice  miraculously  divided,  so  there  is  no  val- 
ley like  that  through  which  this  renowned  river  winds  its  tor- 

'  Mark  x,  46. 


282  BIBLE   LAIRDS. 

tuous  way,  from  its  mysterious  source  beneath  the  base  of  Her- 
mon  to  where  it  plunges  into  the  Sea  of  Death  to  be  seen  no 
more.  We  have  here  an  immense  fissure,  unparalleled  in  the 
world — a  depression  of  more  than  a  thousand  feet  below  the 
level  of  the  ocean,  and  which,  apparently,  must  have  existed 
before  the  destruction  of  the  Cities  of  the  Plain.  Various 
conflicting  theories  of  its  formation  have  been  advanced,  but 
scarcely  any  reliable  facts  have  been  furnished.  It  is  evidently, 
however,  of  volcanic  origin,  as  the  whole  valley  is  one  vast 
field  of  lava. 

The  entire  length  of  this  Ghor  does  not  exceed  one  hundred 
miles  in  a  direct  line,  and  yet  in  that  short  distance  we  have 
every  variety  of  cHmate  and  production  found  between  Green- 
land and  the  equator.  Standing  on  the  Plain  of  Jericho,  you 
can  see  to  the  north  mountains  covered  with  snow  the  year 
round ;  and  to  the  south,  fields  growing  every  plant  and  fruit 
of  the  tropics. 

The  Jordan,  that  waters  this  valley,  is  very  rapid,  having  a 
descent  of  over  three  thousand  feet  from  the  springs  of  Hasbeiya, 
its  remotest  source,  to  where  it  empties  into  the  Salt  Sea. 
And  this  river  is  so  rapid,  its  course  is  almost  one  continuous 
cataract,  and  so  crooked  and  broken  by  these  numerous  falls  as 
to  render  it  useless  for  commercial  purposes.  No  vessels  have 
ever  navigated  its  waters,  and  not  a  city  has  ever  flourished  on 
its  banks.     A  strange  river,  with  a  strange  history. 

As  a  winter  resort,  I  know  of  no  place  more  inviting  than 
the  valley  of  the  lower  Jordan.  Here  we  enjoy  a  salubrious 
climate,  with  perpetual  summer,  rendering  those  famihar  lines 
of  Dr.  Watts, 

"  Sweet  fields  beyond  the  swelling  flood 
Stand  dressed  in  living  green," 


SITE    OF    GILGAL.  283 

literally  true  of  this  region,  when  viewed  from  the  mountains 
east  of  the  river. 

During  our  visit  we  witnessed  here  a  singular  phenomenon. 
Dark  clouds  and  a  furious  rain-storm  swept  along  the  Judean 
Mountains  to  the  west,  and  the  Mountains  of  Moab  to  the  east, 
shutting  out  both  ranges  completely  from  our  view ;  while  on 
the  Plain  of  Jericho  the  sun  was  brightly  shining — the  valley 
of  the  Jordan,  like  a  zone  of  light,  separating  the  combating 
elements  on  either  side. 

Among  the  most  important  discoveries  made  by  the  English 
Exploring  Society  is  that  of  Gilgal,  the  first  encampment  of 
the  Israelites  in  Canaan.  This  place  was  considered  by  Dr. 
Robinson  as  forever  lost.  But  traces  of  the  name  and  site  have 
lately  been  found  at  Tell  Jiljul,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east 
of  the  old  tower  known  as  the  house  of  Zacchseus,  in  El  Riha, 
or  modern  Jericho,  which  agrees  exactly  with  the  location  given 
by  Josephus  and  Joshua.  As  the  name  indicates,  we  find  here 
an  undulating  plain  above  the  overflow  of  the  Jordan,  and  pre- 
cisely on  "the  east  border  of  Jericho;"  the  natives  of  the 
Ghor  never  cultivating  the  land  eastward  of  this  point.  The 
spot  is  marked  by  a  large  tamarisk-tree  near  an  old  reservoir 
called  Birket  Jiljuheh.  There  are  also  other  ruins,  and  many 
Httle  mounds  scattered  over  the  plain,  more  than  likely  the 
ash-beds  of  the  Israelites'  camp-fires. 

If  this  is  really  Gilgal — and  there  seems  no  ground  for  doubt- 
ing it — what  solemn  recollections  the  spot  awakens !  Here  "  the 
Captain  of  the  Lord's  host "  appeared  to  Joshua,  and  the  twelve 
memorial  stones  were  set  up  by  the  children  of  Israel  in  com- 
memoration of  their  safe  passage  of  the  Jordan.  Here  they 
kept  the  Passover,  and  pitched  the  tabernacle  for  the  first  time 
in  the  Land  of  Promise.     Here  tlie  manna  ceased,  and  for  the 


284 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


first  time  tliey  ate  of  the  corn  and  fruit  of  tlie  land  tliey  were 
henceforth  to  possess.  Here,  also,  the  male  children  born  dnr- 
ino-  their  wanderings  in  the  wilderness  were  circumcised,  and 
in  confirmation  of  the  identity  of  the  place,  some  of  the  fiint- 


knives,  probably  used  in  the  operation,  have  here  lately  been 
discovered,  similar  in  every  respect  to  those  found  in  the  tomb 
of  Joshua  at  Timnath-Serah. 

This  site  is  about  five  miles  from  the  Jordan,  and  on  the 
direct  road  from  when  the  Hebrews  crossed  to  Jericho.  The 
river  at  this  point,  during  its  low  stage,  is  not  over  fifty  yards 
wide,  and  four  or  five  feet  deep.  This  is  the  traditionary 
place  of  our  Lord's  baptism,  of  the  healing  of  Xaaman,  and 
where  Elijah  passed  over  just  before  he  mounted  the  skies  in 
his  chariot  of  fire ;  and  it  is  here  the  ceremony  of  the  pilgrims 
batliing  in  the  Sacred  Eiver  is  witnessed  during  the  Paschal 
Moon,  from  year  to  year.  On  the  Monday  of  Passion-week 
the  number  is  incredible.  Hundreds  of  tents  dot  the  plain, 
and  thousands  of  pilgrims  from  every  part  of  the  Orient,  some 
on  foot,  others  on  horses — sometimes  a  whole  family  on  a  mule 
or  camel — come  to  perform  this  religious  rite.  They  usually 
first  encamp  on  the  higher  banks  of  the  Jordan  near  Jericho, 
recalling  the  tents  of  Israel  when  first  pitched  near  this  same 
spot,  and  in  the  early  dawn,  by  the  light   of  the  moon  and 


SITE    OF    ANCIENT    JERICHO. 


287 


numerous  torclies,  guarded  by  Turkish  soldiers,  they  resume 
their  pilgrimage  for  the  river,  and  as  the  first  rays  of  the  morn- 
ing sun  ilash  along  the  Judean  Mountains,  the  mixed  multitude, 
men,  women,  and  children — red,  black,  and  white — plunge  into 
the  turbid  waters,  in  the  firm  though  superstitious  faith  that 
all  their  sins  shall  be  washed  away.  Some  bathe  entirely  nude, 
but  most  of  them  in  white  dresses,  which  they  carefully  pre- 


until  attired  therein  for  tlieir  burial.  With  them,  the  great 
end  of  life  has  been  attained.  They  have  made  the  pilgrimage 
of  the  Holy  Land ;  have  batlied  in  the  sacred  Jordan ;  and 
now  have  nothing  more  to  do  but  return  home  and  die. 

Happily,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  determining  the  site  of 
Jericho— the  famous  "  City  of  Palm-trees  "—the  first  city  taken 
by  Joshua  in  tlie  conquest  of  the  country.  "  The  Fountain  of 
Elislia,"  a  magnificent  spring  gushing  from  beneath  a  partly 


288  BIBLE    LANDS. 

artificial  knoll,  is  undoubtedly  the  same  whose  bitter  waters 
were  healed  by  the  prophet  whose  name  it  bears^  and  settles 
the  site  of  ancient  Jericho,  The  remains  of  buildings,  and  the 
line  of  the  old  walls,  may  also  be  traced,  inclosing  several  arti- 
ficial mounds,  the  largest  having  an  elevation  of  at  least  one 
hundred  feet.  Some  of  these  hillocks,  in  their  interior,  are  of 
stone,  others  of  sun-dried  brick,  and  evidently  belong  to  the 
Canaanitish  period,  and  were  constructed  either  for  defensive 
purposes  or  as  high  places  for  the  worship  of  their  gods.  The 
walls  of  the  city  were  rudely  built  of  undressed  stone,  and 
could  not  have  been  more  than  two  miles  round. 

Not  a  vestige  of  the  house  of  "  Eahab  the  harlot,"  is  left ; 
nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  this  woman,  who  concealed  the 
spies,  was  any  thing  more  than  the  keeper  of  the  inn  of  the 
place.  She  is  called  "  harlot "  because  inn-keepers  of  old  were 
generally  of  that  class.  Eahab,  however,  must  have  been  an 
exception,  as  she  subsequently  married  a  prince  in  Judah,  and 
became  the  mother  of  Boaz,  who  was  husband  of  Ruth  and 
head  of  the  house  of  David,  through  whom,  in  the  fullness  of 
time,  the  Messiah  came. 

The  overthrow  of  the  place  was  complete — not  a  house  of 
any  kind  marks  the  spot.  Occasionally  a  few  gypsy  tents  may 
be  seen  among  the  ruins,  but,  owing  to  the  curse  pronounced 
upon  it  by  Joshua,  all  efforts  to  rebuild  the  city  have  proved 
abortive.  And,  what  is  remarkable,  we  find  all  the  facts  of  the 
taking  of  this  stronghold  preserved  in  a  curious  legend  com- 
mon among  the  Bedouins  of  the  plain. 

The  Arabs  say  that  there  once  stood  upon  this  site  a  city  of 
brass;  that  it  was  inhabited  by  infidels  and  surrounded  by 
seven  walls.  Imam  Aly  made  war  against  the  infidels,  and, 
mounting  his  horse,  Meimoun,  rode  around  the  city  seven  times, 


QUAEANTANIA.  289 

and  blew  down  the  walls  with  a  blast  of  his  horn,  the  ramparts 
falling  of  their  own  accord — stone  by  stone.  The  day  was 
drawing  to  a  close,  and  Aly,  fearing  the  infidels  might  escape, 
prayed  to  the  sun,  "Return,  O  blessed  light,"  and  the  sun 
roUed  back,  and  went  not  down  tiU  aU  the  inhabitants  were 
destroyed.  Ilere  we  have  the  leading  features  of  the  fall  of 
Jericho  and  of  Joshua's  victory  over  the  Amorites,  in  the  very 
legends  of  the  country. 

In  the  mountain  just  back  of  the  ruins  are  many  caves, 
where  the  two  spies  could  easily  have  hidden  for  three  days 
from  their  pursuers ;  and  on  a  low  spur  of  this  mountain  is 
where  "  the  sons  of  the  prophets  "  are  supposed  to  have  stood 
when  they  beheld  Elijah  go  up  in  the  whirlwind  to  heaven. 

The  Jericho  of  Christ's  day,  and  where  Herod  the  Great  died, 
was  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  this.  Nothing,  how- 
ever, remains  of  this  once  opulent  city  except  a  large  reservoir, 
perhaps  the  same  in  which  Aristobulus  was  drowned,  with 
some  broken  aqueducts,  and  other  extensive  ruins.  Enough  to 
identify  the  place,  and  show  the  vanity  of  man's  greatest  monu- 
ments. 

Directly  back  of  Elisha's  Fountain,  and  about  six  miles  west 
of  the  river,  overlooking  ancient  Jericho  and  the  whole  valley 
of  the  Jordan,  rises  one  of  the  highest  mountains  of  the  Judean 
range,  the  traditionary  scene  of  Christ's  temptation  and  fast  of 
forty  days  in  the  wilderness.  This  mountain,  at  least  since  the 
third  century,  has  been  regarded  with  peculiar  interest  as  the 
locality  of  the  interview  between  Satan  and  our  Saviour ; '  and 
round  its  base,  during  the  ascetic  age  that  followed  the  bloody 
persecutions  of  the  early  Christians,  the  first  monasteries  were 
erected.     The  remains  of  no  less  than  seven  of  these  monastic 

» Matthew  iv,  8. 
19 


290  BIBLE   LAin)S. 

institutions,  some  of  them  equal  to  palaces  in  grandeur,  may 
still  be  seen  in  tliis  vicinity. 

The  eastern  face  of  the  mountain  is,  in  places,  almost  perpen- 
dicular, and  on  its  towering  summit,  wlicrc  the  eagle  delights 
to  build  her  nest  and  soar  in  her  airy  flight,  are  the  ruins  of  a 
Christian  Church  and  strong  fortress  with  rock-hewn  fosse — the 
latter,  probably,  of  the  crusading  period.  The  sides  of  this  cliff 
are  pierced  by  numerous  natural  grottoes,  to  which  many  of  the 
disci])lcs  of  our  Lord,  "  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy," 
fled  for  safety  when  driven  by  their  enemies  into  the  "  dens 
and  caves  of  the  earth." '  In  time,  others  followed  them 
from  choice,  among  whom  were  many  monks  from  Egypt,  cut- 
ting for  themselves  cells  in  the  limestone  rock,  until  the  whole 
mountain  became  burrowed  like  an  ant-hill.  There  arc  hun- 
dreds, if  not  thousands,  of  these  caves,  natural  and  artificial, 
not  cut  in  regular  galleries,  but  here,  there,  every-where,  to  suit 
the  inclination  of  their  inmates ;  many  of  them  inaccessible,  and 
most  of  them  dangerous  to  approach.  The  wonder  is,  how  tho 
old  monks  managed  to  reach  their  little  cells,  or  to  live  when 
there,  unless  fed  by  the  angels  or  ravens,  as  was  Elijah,  tho 
illustrious  founder,  as  they  claim,  of  their  order. 

By  a  zigzag  path  and  rock-hewn  6te2->s  we  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing a  platform  running  along  the  face  of  the  mountain,  which 
in  places  over-hung  the  path,  affording  to  tho  hermits  protec- 
tion in  their  walks  from  the  sun  and  rain.  At  the  southern 
end  of  this  ledge  we  came  to  a  large  cavern  communicating  with 
a  chapel  and  several  small  grottoes.  The  chapel  had  been 
frescoed,  after  the  Eyzantino  style,  the  coloring  in  places  still 
looking  fresh,  and  some  of  the  paintings  easily  recognized,  ono 
of  Christ  being  very  distinct.  St.  Paul  and  Andrew  appeared 
>  nebrews  xi,  S8. 


MOUNT    OF    TE:MPTATIO]Sr. 


291 


to  be  favorite  subjects  ;  but  we  could  see  no  trace  of  the  Virgin 
and  Child.  The  most  curious  fresco  was  a  representation  of  the 
angels  distributing  white  resurrection  robes  to  the  saints. 

We  found  a  Greek  monk  from  New  York  living  here,  who 
took  us  to  many  other  cells.  One  was  known  as  Elijah's,  the 
appioach  to  which  was  by  a  narrow  staircase  cut  in  the  natural 
rock.     There  were  several  apartments  here,  one  above  another, 


QUARANTAMA MOUNT    OF    TKMPXATION. 

the  only  entrance  being  through  a  hole  eighteen  inches  in 
diameter  cut  in  the  ceiling  of  the  lower  cave,  and  which  could 
only  be  reached  by  a  ladder  or  rope.  Even  after  climbing  ujd 
to  this  opening,  we  found  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  squeeze 
our  small  bodies  through  the  contracted  entrance.  This  second 
chamber  was  a  chapel  with  an  inscription  over  the  altar,  and 
the  entire  room  at  one  time  had  been  beautifully  frescoed ;  but 
the  paintings  and  inscription  were  too  much  defaced  for  us  to 


292  BIBLE   LANDS. 

make  any  thing  intelligible  out  of  them.  There  were  still  othei 
apartments  above  these  which  we  did  not  explore ;  and  south 
of  a  rent  in  the  mountain,  still  higher  up,  numerous  grottoes, 
the  access  to  which  was  both  difficult  and  perilous. 

In  reaching  these  aerial  habitations  we  had  to  clamber  from 
rock  to  rock  on  our  hands  and  knees,  till  we  gained  a  shelf  at 
a  dizzy  height,  where  we  had  just  room  to  stand.  Ilere  we 
halted  for  breath ;  then,  crawling  along  the  brink  of  the  preci- 
pice on  a  narrow  ledge,  we  came  to  a  projecting  rock  round 
which  it  seemed  impossible  to  pass.  But  others  had  gone  be- 
fore, and  we  must  follow.  Bounding  this  point  was  frightful. 
"We  shudder  to  think  of  that  hazardous  feat.  The  path  in 
places  was  so  narrow  that  if  a  fragment  of  the  rock  had  given 
way,  or  we  had  lost  our  balance,  or  had  our  feet  shpped  but 
an  inch,  instant  death  would  have  followed. 

The  cells  in  this  upper  tier  were  generally  hewn  out  of  the 
rock,  some  nicely  vaulted,  with  recesses  for  sleeping,  and  cis- 
terns to  catch  the  rain-water  as  it  dripped  from  the  cliffs  above ; 
others  had  rock-cut  seats  in  front,  on  one  of  which,  it  is  said, 
Christ  sat,  and  where  the  old  monks  could  sit  far  up  on  the 
mountain  side,  and  enjoy  a  grand  view  of  the  Plain  of  Jericho 
and  the  Valley  of  the  Jordan,  with  Pisgah  and  the  Mountains 
of  Moab  beyond.  Most  of  the  caves  have  a  little  window  in 
front  to  admit  light  and  air ;  and  among  these  pious  anchorites 
a  beautiful  custom  prevailed  of  putting  a  light  in  these  windows 
at  night,  so  that  the  whole  mountain  seemed  illuminated  with 
vestal  lamps,  as  the  hermits  sat  in  the  doors  of  their  cells  sing- 
ing their  vesper  hymns. 

The  ascent  to  these  upper  grottoes  is  now  so  hazardous  few 
persons  will  make  the  attempt,  as  it  can  only  be  accomplished 
by  swinging  with  ropes  from  projecting  crags  over  an  abyss  of 


BONE    OAVEENS.  293 

great  depth,  the  paths  that  once  led  to  them  having  been  either 
filled  up  with  rubbish  or  washed  away  by  the  storms  of  many 
centuries. 

One  feels  very  solemn  visiting  this  retreat  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians, and  abode  of  those  good  though  mistaken  men,  who, 
through  a  sense  of  duty,  renounced  the  world  and  withdrew 
from  all  society,  that  they  might  commune  more  closely  with 
God.  In  some  of  the  cells  human  skeletons  were  found,  with 
little  earthen  lamps  by  their  side,  that  had  expired  with  their 
lives,  showing  that  the  old  hermits  died  where  they  lived,  and 
were  buried  where  they  died.  There  are  many  of  these  sepul- 
chral vaults  containing  the  bones  or  dust  of  those  who  had 
spent  their  lives  in  prayer,  fasting,  and  meditation,  in  imitation 
of  the  Master,  who  on  this  same  mount  is  said  to  have  overcome 
the  temptations  of  the  wicked  one. 

This  mountain  is  separated  from  the  main  range  on  the  south 
by  Wady  Kelt,  along  which  there  are  also  numerous  caves,  and 
through  which  the  brook  Cherith  flows  ;  so  that  the  locality  of 
Christ's  fasting  was  identical  with  that  of  Elijah's.  Many  of 
the  caves  near  the  foot  of  the  mountain  were  formerly  occu- 
pied during  Lent  by  Christian  pilgrims ;  but,  owing  to  the  in- 
security of  life  and  property  under  Turkish  rule,  they  are  now 
hiding-places  for  Bedouin  robbers,  or  dens  for  wild  beasts,  and 
in  some  of  them  bones  of  camels,  hyenas,  and  other  animals, 
may  be  found  to  the  depth  of  several  feet ;  fully  explaining 
the  formation  of  the  old  bono  caverns  without  disturbing  the 
chronology  of  the  Bible. 


CHAPTER  XYL 

TllK   DEAD    SEA. 

Loirest  Sheet  of  Water  on  our  Globe — Mountains  of  Pure  Salt — Lot's  Wife — D*. 
Btruction  of  the  Cities  of  the  Plain — Site  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah — Identity 
of  Zoar — Singular  Phenomenon — ^Nature's  Sanitarium. 

¥E  have  made  the  entire  circnit  of  this  inland  sea,  in 
many  respects  the  most  remarkable  body  of  water  in  the 
world  ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  two  places,  where  the  mount- 
ains rise  almost  perpendicularly  out  of  the  water,  we  rodo 
along  the  shore  the  whole  distance,  making  the  journey,  in- 
cluding delays  and  necessary  rests,  in  fourteen  days. 

The  sea  covers  an  area  of  perhaps  three  hundred  squaro 
miles,  and  is  the  lowest  sheet  of  water  on  the  globe,  being 
thirteen  hundred  and  twenty  feet  lower  than  the  ocean  level ; 
and  its  greatest  depth  of  water  tliirteen  hundred  and  ten  feet, 
thus  precluding  the  possibility  of  it  ever  having  had  any  con- 
nection through  the  Arabah  with  the  Eed  Sea.  Then,  there  is 
a  rocky  ridge  over  twenty-one  hundred  feet  high,  running  en- 
tirely across  TVady  Arabah,  through  which  the  Jordan  never 
could  have  flowed. 

Ilaving  no  outlet,  with  the  Jordan,  Arnon  and  many  other 
large  streams  flowing  into  it,  there  is  only  a  variation  of  from 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  in  its  elevation  and  depression,  being  highest 
in  the  spring  of  the  year,  after  the  winter  rains,  though  the 
Arabs  say  it  rises  and  falls  of  itself,  the  rain  having  no  effect 
upon  it.  This  equihbrium  is  maintained  solely  by  evaporation. 
The  density  of  the  water  is  very  great,  a  gallon  weighing 
294 


APPLES    OF    SODOM.  295 

twelve  and  a  quarter  pounds,  and  containing,  besides  bromine, 
potassium,  and  other  minerals  in  a  state  of  solution,  three  and  a 
quarter  pounds  of  pure  salt,  or  twentj-eight  per  cent. ;  wliilc  the 
water  of  the  Atlantic  contains  only  four  per  cent.  Owing  to 
the  buoyancy  of  the  water,  bathing  in  it  is  a  great  luxury  and 
perfectly  safe,  it  being  impossible  for  a  person  to  sink.  An 
egg  that  would  sink  in  the  Mediterranean  will  float  half  out  of 
water  in  this  sea ;  and  a  vessel  which  would  float  with  ease  here 
would  sink  instantly  in  the  Atlantic  or  any  other  ocean.  Of 
course,  no  fish  can  live  in  such  a  briny  deep.  Those  carried 
into  it  by  the  Jordan  instantly  die,  and  may  be  found  floating 
on  the  surface  near  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  impression 
that  this  sea  is  always  a  dead  calm,  sending  forth  poisonous 
vapors,  with  the  angel  of  death  brooding  over  it,  is  erro- 
neous. Storms  frequently  prevail  here,  the  waves  dashing 
high  up  on  its  shores  :  and  we  have  seen  birds  flying  over  it 
and  ducks  swimming  far  out  on  its  surface.  There,  however, 
is  no  animal  or  vegetable  life  in  the  sea  itself.  Nor  is  there 
any  vegetable  life  along  its  shores ;  but  up  the  valleys  down 
which  the  sweet,  pure  waters  flow  from  mountain  springs 
every  tropical  plant  grows  luxuriantly,  in  some  places  the 
shrubbery  crowding  down  to  the  very  edge  of  the  sea ;  and  in 
these  groves  of  palm,  juniper,  and  oleander,  you  will  find  birds 
of  every  hue  and  song.  Several  of  these  fresh-water  streams 
empty  into  the  sea  near  its  southern  extremity,  causing  the 
arid  "  desert  to  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose."  Nothing  could 
surpass  the  productiveness  of  "  The  Safieh,"  as  this  district  is 
called ;  a  rich,  well-watered  valley,  "  even  as  the  garden  of  the 
Lord,"  about  six  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  two  wide. 
In  this  oasis  the  osher-tree,  or  apple  of  Sodom,  acacia,  camphor, 
indigo,  jujube,  and  other  rare  plants,  aU  grow  spontaneously. 


296  BIBLE   LAl^S. 

The  osher-tree  generally  grows  to  the  height  of  ten  or  twelve 
feet,  has  a  large  oval  leaf,  and  when  cut  or  broken  discharges 
a  milky  fluid,  said  to  be  fatal  to  the  sight  if  applied  to  the 
eyes.  The  fruit,  when  ripe,  in  color  and  size  resembles  an 
ordinary  yellow  apple,  rather  beautiful  to  the  eye,  but  void  of 
substance.  It  is  not,  however,  fiUed  with  ashes,  as  commonly 
supposed,  but  with  air,  and  when  pressed  explodes  like  a  pufi- 
baU,  emitting  smoke  and  a  sulphurous  smeU,  but  containing 
nothing  save  a  few  small  seeds  and  thin  silky  fibers,  the  latter 
very  combustible,  which  the  Arabs,  not  having  matches,  use  as 
tinder,  with  their  steel  and  flint,  in  firing  their  matchlocks  and 
lighting  their  pipes. 

The  Bedouin  tribes  in  this  fertile  valley  are  of  the  lowest 
type  of  human  beings.  A  more  desperate,  savage,  and  degraded 
set  of  cut-throats  and  robbers  are  not  to  be  found  among 
Ishmael's  depraved  sons.  Generally  they  are  as  black  as  Af- 
ricans, entirely  nude,  and  licentious  as  the  Sodomites  of  old ; 
ever  on  the  lookout  for  victims,  and  ready  for  the  perpetration 
of  any  crime.  Our  adventures  among  these  miserable  wretches 
were  too  horrible  to  relate. 

Directly  west  of  this  Eden,  across  the  Gharandel,  is  a  great 
salt  plain,  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation,  the  supposed  site  of 
Sodom,  and  where  David  overthrew  the  Edomites.  The  whole 
plain  is  a  vast  slime-pit,  incrusted  with  salt,  beneath  which  is  a 
black,  greasy  marl,  very  slippery,  rendering  riding  over  it  both 
difficult  and  dangerous. 

As  a  general  thing  the  mountains  bordering  this  sea  present 
a  picture  of  utter  desolation,  as  if  scathed  with  lightning  and 
riven  with  thunder-bolts.  Many  of  the  rocks  are  igneous,  emit- 
ting fire  when  struck,  and  an  odor  very  much  like  a  Lucifer 
match.     Slime-pits  and  sulphur  springs  are  found  along  the 


LOT'S    WIFE. 


297 


-shore,  and  between  the  head  of  the  sea  and  Jericho  hills  of 
almost  pure  sulphur ;  also  gypsum,  asphaltum,  and  black  bitu- 
minous blocks,  mixed  with  gravel  and  sulphur,  strew  the  beach, 
as  if  throw^n  together  by  some  great  convulsion,  and  pure  bitu- 
men in  large  quantities  may  at  times  be  found  floating  on  the 
surface.  The  sea  at  night,  w^hen  the  water  is  ruflied  by  the 
wind,  is  one  sheet  of  phosphorescent  foam,  and  the  waves  as 
they  break  upon  the  shore  throw  a  sepulchral  light  upon  the 
rocks  that  wall  in  this  dismal   erulf — remindino:  one   of  the 


MOUNTAINS    EAST    OF    THE    DEAD    SEA. 


"  lake  of  fire,"  and  may  have  suggested  this  imagery  to  the 
Apostle  John. 

Jebel  Usdum,  or  mountain  of  Sodom,  at  the  south-west  end,  is 
a  ridge  of  almost  pure  rock-salt,  extending  for  about  five  miles 
along  the  shore,  and  rising  perhaps  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
above  the  sea.  There  are  many  deep  clefts  in  the  range,  leaving 
detached  portions  of  salt  standing  like  pillars  in  every  fantastic 
shape,  some  of  them  at  least  one  hundred  feet  high,  any  one 
of  which  would  answer  very  well  for  "  Lot's  wife ; "  one  in  par- 


298  BIBLE  LANDS. 

ticular,  on  the  very  top  of  the  cliff,  from  a  certain  stand-point 
resembles  a  woman  in  hasty  flight,  with  her  disheveled  hair  and 
torn  garments  flying  in  the  wind,  and  her  head  slightly  turned, 
as  if  looking  back  over  her  left  shoulder  on  the  burning  cities 
from  which  she  is  fleeing  for  her  life. 

There  is  nothing  very  remarkable  in  the  statement  concern- 
ing the  fate  of  this  disobedient  woman.  From  the  narrative,  it 
appears  the  Lord  said  unto  Lot  and  his  family,  "  Up,  get  you 
out  of  this  place.  Escape  for  thy  life ;  look  not  behind  thee, 
neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain,  lest  thou  be  consumed."  They 
started  on  their  flight.  "  But  his  wife  looked  back,  .  .  .  and 
she  became  a  pillar  of  salt."  *  Probably  in  the  very  act  of  dis- 
obedience she  was  struck  dead  with  a  thunderbolt,  or  suffocated 
with  the  sulphurous  fumes  that  pervaded  the  valley,  as  the 
elder  Pliny  in  the  destruction  of  Pompeii.  It  would  have  been 
miraculous  had  she  become  a  sand-stone  or  lime-stone  pillar.  But 
any  man's  wife  would  become  a  pillar  of  salt  in  this  region  if 
allowed  to  remaia  here  long  enough.  No  corpse  would  ever 
decompose  on  the  shores  of  this  sea,  and  if  permitted  to  remain 
here  would  naturally  become  incrusted  with  salt,  and  in  time 
a  pillar  of  salt.  These  pillars  are  formed  by  secretion,  from 
the  spray,  mist,  and  saline  exhalations  of  the  sea,  and  are 
always  growing  larger.  So  it  is  literally  true,  that  if  you 
break  a  piece  oil  it  will  form  on  anew. 

In  one  place  we  found  a  tunnel  or  cavern  leading  into  the  very 
heart  of  the  mountain,  into  which  we  rode  several  hundred  feet, 
until  it  became  too  dark  to  venture  farther.  It  looked  beauti- 
ful by  the  light  of  a  few  matches  and  candles,  the  vaulted 
roof  and  sides  sparkling  as  of  alabaster.  Many  grottoes  led  off 
to  the  right  and  left,  all  salt,  nothmg  but  salt,  the  whole  mount- 

•  Genesis  xix,  14,  17,  26. 


SITE   OF   THE   CITIES    OF   THE   PLAIN.  299 

ain  salt  I  During  heavy  rains  a  stream  of  briny  water  runs 
througli  this  cavern  to  the  sea,  only  a  few  rods  distant.  This 
same  rock  formation,  to  all  appearance  the  same  vein  of  salt, 
crops  out  of  the  mountain  east  of  the  sea  between  the  Fortress 
of  Machaerus  and  the  Ilot  Springs  of  Callirrhoe,  a  fact,  wo 
believe,  never  before  noticed. 

The  precise  location  of  the  Cities  of  the  Plain  will  probably 
never  be  known.  If  not  submerged,  they  are  buried  many  feet 
beneath  the  soft  marl  constantly  washing  down  from  the  sur- 
rounding hills  and  filling  up  the  valley.  The  opinion  has  long 
obtained  that  Sodom  was  situated  on  the  great  salt  plain  at  the 
base  of  Jebel  Usdum,  south  of  the  sea.  Recently  some  re- 
markable ruins  have  been  discovered  at  Gumran,  two  miles 
north  of  Ain  Feshkah,  near  the  northern  end  of  the  sea,  and 
supposed,  from  a  similarity  of  name,  to  be  the  site  of  Gomor- 
rah. The  ruins  consist  of  a  rude  wall,  a  small  reservoir  built 
of  unhewn  stone,  and  a  mass  of  indistinguishable  rubbish  of  old 
houses  and  broken  pottery.  The  most  interesting  feature  of 
the  place  is  the  great  number  of  graves  in  the  vicinity,  perhaps 
a  thousand.  And  what  is  more  singular,  the  bodies  all  lie  with 
their  heads  to  the  south ;  so  they  cannot  be  Jewish,  Moham- 
medan, or  Christian.  The  tombs  are  about  five  feet  deep,  with  a 
vault  for  the  body  at  the  bottom.  The  receptacle  for  the  corpse 
is  built  of  large  sun-dried  bricks  fifteen  inches  long,  eleven  wide, 
and  nine  inches  thick.  Rough  upright  stones  mark  the  head 
and  feet,  and  the  surface  of  the  graves  is  rudely  paved  with  the 
same  material.  No  inscription  or  device  has  yet  been  found  to 
indicate  the  race  or  age  to  which  these  tombs  belong,  and  all 
that  has  been  written  on  the  identity  of  this  place  with  Gomor- 
rah is  hypothetical.  Of  the  other  cities  destroyed,  Admah  and 
Zeboim,  all  traces  have  long  since  disappeared. 


300  BIBLE   LANDS. 

The  identity  of  Zoar  is  not  so  difficult,  as  down  to  the  four- 
teenth century  of  our  era  it  was  a  place  of  considerable  impor- 
tance. All  the  fathers  and  historians  of  the  Church  locate  it 
south-east  of  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the  road  leading  from  "  The  Sa- 
fieh  "  to  Kerak ;  and  we  find  here,  on  a  spur  of  the  mountain,  six 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  water,  extensive  ruins  tliat 
have  long  been  regarded  as  the  remains  of  the  "  little  city  "  to 
which  Lot  escaped  when  driven  from  Sodom.  Zoar  was  made 
an  Episcopal  See  at  an  early  period,  and  its  Bishop  was  present 
and  took  an  active  part  in  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  A.  D.  451. 
Being  in  the  province  of  Kerak  and  Ar,  it  must  have  been  south 
of  the  Arnon.  It  was  also  one  of  the  five  Cities  of  the  Plain ; 
80  could  not  have  been  where  Dr.  Tristram  locates  it,  on  the 
western  slope  of  Pisgah,  several  thousand  feet  above  the  plain. 
Lot  was  permitted  to  enter  this  city  because  the  mountain  was 
too  distant  for  him  to  reach.  Why,  then,  locate  it  on  the  mount- 
ain, and  so  far  from  the  scene  of  danger  ? 

Both  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  refer  to  it  among  the  cities  of 
Moab.  It  is  never  mentioned  as  belonging  to  Israel,  but  always 
as  within  the  territory  of  Moab  ;  so  could  not  have  been  north 
of  the  river  Arnon,  but  somewhere  very  near  the  site  we  have 
named.  We  might  also  add,  this  situation  can  be  distinctly 
seen  from  the  mountain  east  of  Bethel,  where  Lot  and  his 
uncle  Abraham  parted.  Back  of  these  i-uins  the  mountain 
rises  abruptly,  and  there  are  numerous  caves  among  the  rocks, 
one  of  which  is  pointed  out  as  the  cave  of  Lot ;  and  a  short 
distance  above  this,  along  the  sea-shore,  is  a  curious  pillar, 
not  of  salt  but  sand-stone,  resembling  very  much  a  female 
with  a  water-jar  in  her  right  hand,  and  a  child  on  her  left 
shoulder,  called  by  the  natives  Bint  Sheik  Lut— the  "  Daughter 
of  Sheik  Lot."    We  confess,  however,  that  httle  is  to  be  foi.nd 


DESTRUCTION    OF   SODOM   AND    GOMOERAn.  301 

among  these  shapeless  ruins  to  satisfy  the  inquisitive  mind ;  and 
as  to  the  other  cities,  we  are  fully  convinced,  after  the  most  thor- 
ough investigation  of  the  whole  plain,  that  there  is  nothing 
above  ground  by  which  they  can  be  identified  or  their  sites 
determined. 

From  the  topography  of  the  whole  Ghor,  and  the  peculiar 
geological  formations,  such  as  banks  of  water-worn  shingles, 
with  deposits  of  salt  and  sulphur,  there  must  have  been  a  sea 
or  fresh-water  lake  in  this  valley  long  prior  to  the  overthrow 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  there  is  no  reason  for  believing 
that  these  cities  were  submerged,  or  that  their  destruction  was 
brought  about  by  any  great  geological  disturbance. 

Among  the  mountains  that  border  the  sea  on  the  east  there 
are  several  craters,  and  other  evidences  of  extinct  volcanoes. 
The  road  leading  north  from  Machaerus  down  to  the  Zurka 
Main  runs  over  great  fields  of  lava,  scoria,  and  cinders,  very 
much  like  the  descent  of  Vesuvius.  The  Cities  of  the  Plain 
were,  more  than  likely,  constructed  of  perishable  materials, 
perhaps  sun-dried  bricks  mixed  with  cut  straw,  like  Damascus 
and  other  places  in  the  East,  as  the  remains  of  such  brick-kilns 
still  exist  on  the  plain  near  ancient  Jericho.  In  the  erection 
of  their  buildings,  bitumen,  which  abounds  in  this  region,  was 
probably  used  instead  of  mortar,  and  the  houses  were  covered, 
as  in  Babylon,  with  a  matting  made  of  rushes  coated  with 
bituminous  slime,  and  supported  by  wooden  beams. 

From  the  Mosaic  account  it  appears  the  cities  were  destroyed, 
not  by  water  but  fire,  very  much  as  Pompeii  and  Ilerculaneum, 
probably  by  a  shower  of  hot  sulphurous  ashes  from  some  neigh- 
boring volcano,  leaving  no  trace  of  their  sites.  This  would  lit- 
erally be  a  rain  of  "  brimstone  and  fire,"  entirely  consuming  the 
combustible  material  of  which  they  were  composed.     And  the 


802  BIBLE  LANDS. 

niter  tlirown  out  by  tlie  eruption  would  transform  the  rich  vale 
of  Siddim  into  tlie  present  alkali  desert,  and  tlie  fresh  water 
lake  into  tliis  briny  sea.  It  also  appears,  as  before  stated,  that 
the  whole  lower  valley  of  the  Jordan  is  nothing  but  a  bed  of 
lava,  indicating  some  such  volcanic  action. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  this  most  remarkable  sea  is, 
that  it  appears  to  be  subsiding  or  growing  less  every  year.  The 
water  lines  on  the  beach,  of  which  there  are  three  distinct  levels, 
clearly  indicate  this ;  and,  what  is  more  strange,  the  bottom 
eecms  to  be  receding,  or  falling  out ;  that  is,  the  surface  is  sink- 
ing lower,  and  the  sea  becoming  deeper.  When  Lieut.  Lynch 
made  his  survey  in  184:8,  there  were  but  three  fathoms  at  the 
ford  opposite  the  Lisan,  and  many  old  Arabs  say  they  could 
easily  ride  across  on  their  camels  when  they  were  boys.  Now 
there  is  not  less  than  thirty  or  forty  feet  of  water  at  the  lowest 
point  where  once  it  was  fordable,  and  yet  the  shore  line  is 
lower  than  it  was  then.  At  another  place  a  portion  that  was 
frequently  dry  ten  years  ago  is  now  completely  submerged. 
This  is  true  of  all  south  of  the  peninsula;  instead  of  filling  up 
with  the  debris  washed  down  from  the  neighboring  hills  by  a 
hundred  mountain  torrents,  it  is  actually  growing  deeper.  We 
have  no  explanation  of  this  phenomenon,  unless  on  the  suppo 
sition  that  the  prevailing  winds  being  from  the  south  and  west, 
a  current  is  created  which  carries  the  sediment  from  the  shal- 
low portion  at  the  lower  end  into  the  almost  fathomless  depths 
farther  north.  This,  however,  would  not  explain  the  settling 
of  the  surface,  which  perhaps  could  be  accounted  for  by 
increased  evaporation. 

The  Bedouins  call  this  lake,  Bahr  Lnt— the  "  Sea  of  Lot"— 
and  all  traditions  among  these  tribes  touching  this  locality, 
together  with  the  sea  and  all  its  surroundings,  fully  corroborate 


COKKOBOEATION    OF   SCEIPTUEB.  303 

the  inspired  record.  Tlie  Scriptures  are  so  legibly  written 
along  the  desolate  shores  of  this  desolate  sea,  that  a  person 
visiting  this  region  who  had  never  heard  of  the  destruction  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  would  infer  from  the  sterihty  and  dcath- 
liko  solitude  which  prevail,  that  nothing  but  some  great  judg- 
ment from  the  Almighty  could  ever  have  produced  such  utter 
desolation.  We  find  here  "  a  waste  land  that  smoketh,  and  a 
fruitful  land  turned  into  saltness  for  the  wickedness  of  them 
that  dwelt  therein ; '"  so  that  "  no  man  shall  abide  there,  nei- 
ther shall  a  son  of  man  dwell  in  it ;  and  the  stranger  that  shall 
come  from  a  far  land  shall  say,  .  .  .  Wherefore  hath  the  Lord 
done  thus  unto  this  land  ?  What  mcaneth  the  heat  of  this 
great  anger?  .  .  .  The  whole  land  is  brimstone,  and  salt,  and 
burning."  *  Lieutenant  Lynch,  in  his  report  upon  this  region, 
says:  "We  entered  upon  this  sea  with  conflicting  opinions. 
One  of  our  party  was  skeptical,  and  another  a  professed  unbe- 
liever. After  twenty-two  days'  close  investigation,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken,  we  are  unanimous  in  the  conviction  of  the  truth 
of  the  Scripture  account  of  the  destruction  of  the  Cities  of  the 
Plain.  And  this  conclusion  I  record  as  a  protest  against  tho 
shallow  deduction  of  those  who  would  be  unbelievers." 

In  summer,  at  this  great  depth  below  the  ocean,  and  walled 
in  by  mountains  four  thousand  feet  high,  the  atmosphere  is 
very  hot  and  sultry.  The  average  temperature  on  the  shores  of 
this  sea  for  the  first  ten  days  in  June,  1877,  was  one  hundred 
and  four  degrees  in  the  shade  ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  this  heat 
deleterious  to  health.  In  winter,  however,  the  climate  is  per- 
fectly delightful — no  frost,  miasma,  or  chilling  winds,  but  a 
salubrious,  invigorating,  almost  intoxicating  atmosphere.  Ilero 
you  can  "  run  and  not  weary,"  climb  the  highest  mountaina 
'  Psalm  ctU,  S4  ;  Jeremiah  xlix,  18.  *  Deuteronomj  zxix,  22,  24. 


304  BIBLE   LAlfDS. 

without  any  sense  of  fatigue,  and  breathe  freely  vritli  one  lung, 
or  half  a  lung.  The  effect  of  the  bracing  air  is  really  wonder- 
ful. You  feel  as  though  you  could  "  run  through  a  troop,  or 
leap  over  a  wall."  Bathing  here  is  delicious.  You  have  also 
the  choice  of  hot  or  cold  baths,  in  fresh,  salt,  or  sulphur  fount- 
ains along  the  shore. 

The  waters  of  the  sea  have  not  that  dull,  leaden  appearance 
described  by  some  travelers,  but  are  as  clear  as  Lake  George, 
sometimes  of  a  greenish  tint,  and  often  look  as  blue  as  the 
Mediterranean.  And  the  purple  tint  of  the  mountains  in  the 
rays  of  the  setting  sun,  reflected  from  a  sky  of  imequaled 
beauty,  are  often  gorgeous.  As  Mr.  Palmer  remarks,  "The 
coloring  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  its  neighborhood,  when  the 
atmosphere  is  clear,  is  simply  magnificent." 

Instead  of  the  exhalations  from  the  sea  being  injurious,  aa 
has  been  supposed,  they  seem  to  sharpen  the  appetite,  quicken 
the  intellect,  and  impart  new  life  to  the  whole  physical  system. 
As  it  seldom  rains  in  the  Ghor,  the  days  are  generally  bright 
and  cheerful,  the  nights  dry  and  balmy,  lulHng  the  weary  into 
refreshing  slumbers,  from  which  they  awake  "  rejoicing  as  a 
strong  man  to  run  a  race." 

A  steamer  on  this  sea  for  excursions,  and  a  good  hotel  near 
its  shores,  would  make  this  a  most  charming  winter  resort  for 
invalids,  nature's  own  sanitarium  for  suffering  mortals. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FORTRESS    OF   MASADA    AND    CLD'F   OF   ZIZ. 

Last  Stronghold  of  the  Jews — Great  Strength  of  the  Fortress — Tragic  End  o'  tb« 
Garrison — Tlie  Silence  of  Death — Eiigedi — Cliff  of  Ziz — Rocks  of  the  Wild 
Goats — Burning  Bush — Stones  of  Witness. 

PEPtCllED,  like  an  eagle's  nest,  on  one  of  the  boldest  cliffs 
along  the  western  shores  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  overlooking 
a  scene  of  natural  desolation  unequaled  on  the  globe,  is  the  re- 
nowned fortress  of  Masada,  the  last  stronghold  taken  by  the 
Romans  in  the  conquest  of  Palestine. 

This  celebrated  fortress  was  erected  by  Jonathan  Maccabaeus, 
about  the  year  IGO  B.  C,  but  afterward  enlarged  and  greatly 
strengthened  by  Herod  the  Great,  who  surrounded  it  with  walla 
and  towers  of  great  strength,  and  supplied  it  with  stores  and 
arms  for  ten  thousand  men,  designing  it  as  a  place  of  refuge 
for  himself  in  case  of  rebellion  among  the  Jews,  or  Cleopatra 
transferring  liis  kingdom  to  Mark  Antony,  of  which  the  queen 
of  Egypt  had  given  some  intimations. 

Joscphus  describes  the  castle  and  fortress  as  "  built  on  a  rock 
prodigiously  craggy,  and  inaccessible  enough  to  strike  the  stout- 
est man  living  with  horror."  '  All  which  we  found  to  be  strict- 
ly true ;  the  rock  rising  almost  perpendicularly  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea,  and  separated  from 
the  mountain  range  by  deep  chasms  apparently  impassable.  A 
round  tower  with  double  walls,  and  other  extensive  ruins  on  a 
detached  ledge    to  the   north — j^robably  the  "  beautiful  and 

'  Jewish  Wars,  rii,  8.  305 

20 


306  BIBLE    LANDS. 

richly  garnished  "  palace  of  Herod,  where  his  wife,  the  queenlj 
and  matchless  Mariamne,  was  cruelly  imprisoned  before  her 
death,  are  entirely  inaccessible,  the  secret  passage  from  the 
palace  to  the  citadel  being  still  undiscovered. 

Almost  the  only  approach  to  this  aerial  fortress  was  by  a  ser- 
pentine path  called  the  "  Snake,"  so  narrow  and  difficult  that  to 
slip  or  make  a  misstep  was  certain  death  to  the  bold  intruder. 
Even  this  perilous  path  was  so  guarded  by  strong  towers  as  to 
render  the  place  next  to  impregnable.  One  hour  of  climbing, 
falling,  and  sweating  under  the  scorching  rays  of  the  noonday 
sun,  brought  us  to  the  great  causeway  thrown  up  by  the  Eo- 
mans  from  the  mountain  in  the  rear,  to  the  isolated  castle  in 
front,  over  which  we  easily  passed,  and  soon  gained  the  cs- 
planade  of  the  fortress,  a  platform  about  one  mile  in  circumfer 
ence. 

The  view  from  this  lofty  position  was  magnificently  wild 
and  drear.  The  whole  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  all  trans-Jordanic 
Palestine,  with  the  Jordan  Yalley  to  the  north,  and  the  great 
Salt  Plain  to  the  south,  were  spread  out  before  us.  The  breast- 
works and  other  fortifications  constructed  by  the  Romans  when 
they  laid  siege  to  this  stronghold,  nearly  two  thousand  years 
ago,  may  still  be  distinctly  traced  on  the  plain  below  and  up 
the  mountain  side,  in  some  instances  looking  as  if  vacated  but 
yesterday. 

Of  Masada  little  remains.  There  was  only  one  gate-way  to 
the  fortress,  which  still  stands  iiliiiost  ])crfcct,  the  enemy  hav- 
ing entered  through  a  breach  to  the  north  of  it;  but  the  wall 
and  towers  on  the  suiiiinit  have  all  been  toppled  over.  The 
ruin  of  a  synagogue,  with  tessellated  lluors,  near  the  center  of 
the  platform,  is  in  good  preservation,  and  undoubtedly  is  the 
oldest  one  in  existence — a  cut  of  which  we  insert  as  skt'tehct? 


GREAT    STRENGTH    OF    THE    FORTRESS.  307 

by  Dr.  Eidgaway  on  the  spot.  ]\Incli  broken  pottery  and  glass 
covered  the  gronnd.  Several  roek-liewn  cisterns  and  natural 
.caves  are  within  the  inclosure,  and  the  remains  of  many  large 
buildings  may  still  be  seen.  The  mountain  near  the  top  is 
pierced  with  numerous  galleries,  one  above  another,  running 
along  the  face  with  loop-holes  for  the  archers.  AVe  counted 
four  tiers  of  embrasures  facing  the  north,  with  parapet  walls  in 
front  and  passage  ways  from  one  to  another  cut  in  the  solid 
rock,  and  flanked  by  strong  tovvcrs  at  the  angles.  The  position, 
naturally  strong,  was  rendered  doubly  so  by  art ;  gallery  abo^'e 
gallery,  turret  on  turret,  and  fortress  within  fortress  ! 


After  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  Ilerodium,  and  Machrerus,  Fla- 
vins Silva,  now  in  command  of  the  Eoman  army,  led  all  his 
forces  against  Masada,  the  last  important  post  held  by  the  Jews, 
The  place  was  defended  by  the  Sicarii,  a  class  of  JcAvish  des- 
peradoes, or  freebooters,  whose  only  bond  of  union  was  their 
]io^>tility  to  the  Eomans.  They  were  under  the  command  of 
Eleazar,  a  man  of  great  bravery  and  influence  amcng  his  fol- 
lowers, and  were  prepared  to  make  a  most  desperate  resist- 
in  co. 

Silva  flrst  seized  a  high  projecting  rock  called  "  the  lance," 


308  BIBIxE   LANDS. 

immcdiatolj  in  the  rear  of  the  fortress,  from  which  he  raised 
a  causeway  over  against  the  outer  ramparts  of  the  citadel  by 
filling  up  a  deep  ravine,  thus  enabling  his  engines  of  war  to 
play  upon  the  walls.  lie  also  constructed  a  tower  sixty  cubits 
high,  plated  with  iron,  from  which  scorpions  and  firebrands 
were  hurled  against  the  doomed  garrison. 

Those  within  long  and  stubbornly  resisted  any  attempt  on 
the  part  of  the  enemy  to  scale  their  works,  but  when  they  saw 
their  massive  walls  crumble  beneath  the  ponderous  strokes  of 
immense  battering-rams,  and  their  wooden  defenses  swept  away 
by  the  devouring  flames  maddened  by  a  furious  wind,  they 
gave  up  all  as  lost,  and  prepared  like  men  to  meet  their  fate. 

The  Romans  having  carried  the  outer  walls  after  a  long,  des- 
perate struggle,  were  preparing  to  storm  the  citadel  as  night 
dropped  her  curtain  upon  the  bloody  scene,  and  they  retired  to 
their  quarters,  expecting  on  the  morrow  to  return,  complete 
their  work,  and  gather  their  spoils,  little  dreaming  of  the  bloody 
tragedy  to  be  enacted  within  the  fortress  during  that  night  of 
horrors. 

Eleazar,  despairing  of  any  help  from  without,  determined 
never  to  surrender  to  his  sworn  enemies ;  and,  conscious  of  his 
own  inability  to  hold  out  longer,  called  a  council  of  war ;  set 
before  liis  comrades  the  hopelessness  of  a  further  resistance ; 
told  them  of  the  disgrace  and  sufferings  that  awaited  them  if 
they  capitulated  ;  related  the  wrongs  the  Romans  had  inflicted 
upon  their  nation ;  then  appealed  to  their  religious  convictions, 
showing  how  noble  it  would  be  to  die  as  martyrs  for  their  God, 
and  proposed  that  all  their  wealth  be  gathered  into  the  castle 
and  destroyed  by  fire ;  that  each  liusband  murder  his  own  wife 
and  children ;  that  ten  men  be  selected  by  lot  to  slaughter  the 
rest,  and  finally  one  from  the  ten  to  complete  the  work  of  death 


TRAGIC   END    OF   THE    GARRISON.  309 

by  the  suicide  of  himself,  after  all  his  brethren  were  dead. 
The  Sicarii,  ever  ready  to  obey  their  leader,  at  once  accepted 
the  proposal.  Their  vast  treasures  were  soon  given  to  the 
flames.  Infatuated  husbands  and  fathers  first  affectionately 
embraced,  then  murdered  their  own  wives  and  offspring.  The 
men  chosen  to  slay  their  fellow-soldiers  did  faithfully  their 
work.  Throughout  the  fortress  during  that  night  of  blood, 
the  cry  of  death  was  every-where  heard,  and  when  the  morning 
dawned  nine  hundred  and  sixty  victims  lay  dead  upon  the 
ground.  Two  women  and  five  children  who  concealed  them- 
selves in  a  cave  were  all  that  survived  to  tell  the  tale  of  woe. 

In  the  morning  the  Romans  entered,  but  found  death  and 
destruction  had  gone  before,  leaving  them  an  empty  victory 
after  their  long  siege.  Thus  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  "  Be- 
hold your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate." 

Two  hours  north  of  Masada  is  Engedi,  the  site  of  ancient 
Hazezon-tamar,  a  city  of  the  Amorites  older  than  Sodom  or 
Gomorrah.  It  was  not  far  from  here,  in  the  "  Vale  of  Siddim," 
perhaps  near  the  slime-pits  a  few  miles  south  of  this,  that  the 
kings  of  Mesopotamia  defeated  the  five  kings  of  the  cities  of 
the  plain,  carrying  off  Lot  among  their  prisoners,  who  was  aft- 
erward rescued  by  his  uncle,  Abraham. 

About  four  hundred  feet  above  the  sea  the  celebrated 
"Fountain  of  the  Kid,"  that  gives  its  name  to  the  place, 
gushes  from  the  mountain  side,  distributing  its  warm,  sweet 
waters  through  a  thousand  channels  over  the  fields  below, 
changing  the  arid  desert  into  a  blooming  garden,  fragrant  with 
tropical  flowers  and  fruits. 

"  The  Wilderness  of  Engedi,"  where  David  found  a  hiding- 
place  from  Saul,  is  a  desolate  tract  of  country  lying  directly 
west  of  this ;  and  it  was  here,  in  one  of  the  numerous  caves 


310 


BIBLE    LA^STDS, 


among  "  the  rocks  of  the  wild  go-As,'"'  probably  Adullam,  that' 
the  son  of  Jesse  cnt  off  the  skirt  of  the  king's  robe. 

This  is  still  the  highway  and  nsual  ronte  between  Moab  and 
Western  Palestine.  The  road  winds  ronnd  the  southern  end  of 
the  sea,  up  its  western  shore,  thence  by  the  "  Chff  of  Ziz  "  to 
Hebron  or  Jerusalem.     Xotliin^-  could  be  more  frightful  than 


DEAD    SEA    FROM    EXGEDI. 


crossing  this  mountain  pass ;  several  times  we  had  to  unload 
our  poor  mules,  and  with  ropes  help  them  up  the  acclivity. 
At  some  points  as  we  looked  ahead  it  seemed  utterly  impossi- 
ble for  man  or  beast  to  scale  such  rocks ;  but  after  three  hours 
of  hard  climbing  we  accomplished  without  serious  accident  the 
renowned  passage  of  the  "  riiff  of  Ziz." 


WILD    GOATS,   liUKNlNG    BUSU,    ETC.  81) 

While  encamped  at  Engedi  some  Arabs  brought  in  a  "^vild 
goat"  they  had  just  killed  among  the  rocks,  showing  that  this 
animal  is  still  found  in  the  neighborhood.  We  also  had  here 
a  fine  exhibition  of  the  "Burning  Bush."  There  is  a  tree 
peculiar  to  this  region,  and  which,  when  cut  down  or  dying 
naturally,  sends  forth  numerous  branches  or  parasites  from 
near  the  ground,  forming  a  thick  cluster  of  bushes  large  as  a 
shock  of  corn.  At  night  the  natives,  to  light  up  their  camp, 
set  lire  to  the  dry  stump  in  the  center,  and  the  flames  slowly 
spread  to  the  green  twigs  until  the  whole  is  ablaze  and  grad- 
ually consumed.  A  single  brush  heap  will  bum  for  several 
hours,  and  in  the  darkness  looks  beautiful.  It  was  thus  the 
Almighty  manifested  himself  to  his  servant  Moses  on  Iloreb, 
only  in  that  instance  the  bush  was  not  consumed,  s}nnbolizing 
God's  care  for  his  people  amid  the  fiery  trials  of  earth. 

We  observed  also  a  beautiful  custom  among  the  Arabs  of 
commemorating  every  important  event,  and  marking  every 
prominent  point,  by  setting  up  memorial  stones,  as  Samuel 
raised  his  Ebenezer  at  Mizpeh ;  and  every  good  Christian  or 
Mussulman,  in  passing  these  memorials,  is  expected  to  add 
thereto  his  "  stone  of  witness."  These  Ebenezers  you  will  find 
on  almost  every  high  place  in  Palestine,  and  scarcely  a  pilgrim 
visits  the  Iloly  Land  without  commemorating  the  event  by 
setting  up  a  stone  in  acknowledgment  of  God's  goodness  and 
protection. 

On  a  spur  of  the  mountain,  about  midway  between  Engedi 
and  Jebel  Usdum,  commanding  a  fine  view  of  Mount  Ilor  and 
the  tomb  of  Aaron  far  away  to  the  south,  there  is  an  immense 
pile  of  witness  stones,  the  accumulation  of  ages,  and  every  year 
growing  larger,  as  every  Bedouin  and  traveler  passing  that  way 
contributes  his  stone  to  the  heap.     Having  a  gi'cat  reverence 


312 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


for  the  memory  of  Aaron,  we,  of  course,  added  our  testimony 
to  the  countless  multitude  of  witnesses,  then  resumed  our 
journey,  bidding  adieu  to  the  Valley  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Even 
passing  travelers  thus  adopt  the  peculiar  customs  of  Palestine ; 
and  so  fully  do  all  these  regions  claim  our  veneration — by  his- 
torical ruins  and  by  traditional  sites ;  by  inspired  records  and 
by  Mohammedan  legends ;  and  especially  by  an  indescribable 
antique  and  oriental  quality  pervading  every  sight  and  sound 
and  feeling — that,  in  spite  of  ourselves,  we  are  transported  to 
other  days,  and  in  fancy  live  again  the  lives  of  patriarchs  and 
judges,  of  prophets  and  monarchs,  of  Christian  disciples  and 
knightly  crusaders. 


Piece  of  Silver. 


Widow's  Mito. 
COINS   USED   IN   TIME   OF   CHRIST. 


PART  III. 

TRANS-JOEDANIC  PALESTINE. 

"And  Moses  gave  unto  the  children  of  Gad,  and  to  the  children  of  Reuben,  and 
ante  half  the  tribe  of  Manasseh  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  kingdom  of  Sihon  king  of 
the  Aniorites,  and  tlie  kingdom  of  Og  king  of  Bashan,  the  land,  with  the  cities 
thereof,  from  the  liver  Arnon  unto  Mount  Hermon,  and  all  th€  pi lin  on  the  east." 
Num.  xxxii,  33 ;  Josh,  xii,  1. 


CHAPTER  I. 


TTIE   LAND    OF    MOAB. 


'Beyond  Jordan — Rich,  unexplored  Region — First  settled  by  the  Descendants  of 
Lot — Conquered  by  Moses — Given  to  Reuben,  Gad,  and  Manasseh — Now  over- 
run  by  the  wild  Sons  of  Ishmael— Castle  of  Kerak — Fortress  of  MachseruB. 

DIRECTLY  east  of  Jerusalem,  beyond  the  Jordan,  and  over- 
looking the  whole  of  western  Palestine,  is  the  almost  un- 
known and  unexplored  region  generally  known  as  Per?ea — the 
land  beyond ;  a  vast  tract  of  high  rolling  table-land  lying  at 
least  four  thousand  feet  above  the  valley  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and 
extending  eastward  to  the  great  Desert  which  stretches  away 
to  the  Euphrates. 

This  portion  of  Syria,  from  south  of  the  Dead  Sea  to  Mount 
Ilermon,  usually  referred  to  in  Jewish  history  as  the  land  of 
Moab,  Gilead,  and  Bashan,  was  first  permanently  settled  by  the 
Moabites  and  Ammonites,  the  descendants  of  Lot's  two  sons, 
Moab  and  Ben-ammi.'  It  was  among  the  first  countries  con- 
quered by  the  Israelites,  and,  on  account  of  its  rich  pasturage, 
given  to  Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manasseh  as  their 
inlieritance,  because  "they  had  much  cattle."*  In  the  eighth 
century  B.  C.  this  country  was  invaded  by  the  Assyrians,  and 
these  tribes  wei'e  carried  away  captives  into  Assyria.*  And 
from  that  period  down  to  our  era  the  land  was  successively  oc- 
•cupied  by  the  Assyrians,  Greeks,  and  Romans,  the  remains  of 
whose  wealth  and  power  may  still  be  seen  in  the  magnificent 
ruins  found  scattered  all  over  this  part  of  Palestine.     No  dis- 

'  '  Genesis  xix,  37.         '  Deuteronomy  iii,  19.         '1  Chronicles  v,  26. 

31o 


316  BIBLE    LANDS. 

trict  of  equal  extent  on  the  face  of  the  earth  can  furnish  such 
remarkable  remains  of  ancient  races. 

After  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  the  wild  sons  of  Ish- 
mael  from  the  Arabian  Desert  overran  the  country,  and  to  the 
present  have  retained  their  possession.  So  that  for  centuries 
this  whole  territory,  including  Edom,  so  intimately  connected 
with  Jewish  history,  has  been  inaccessible  to  travelers. 

The  Bedouins  who  occupy  this  land  are  a  warlike,  lawless, 
independent  race,  very  much  like  our  Korth  American  Indians. 
They  have  no  permanent  settlements— have  never  submitted  to 
Turkish  rule,  pay  tribute  to  no  king — lead  a  nomadic  life, 
dwelling  in  tents,  and  roaming  from  place  to  place  as  necessity 
may  require,  the  most  independent  people  in  the  world.  The 
men  pride  themselves  in  being  warriors,  and  are  generally  seen 
mounted  on  splendid  Arab  mares.  You  never  see  a  Bedouin 
chieftain  riding  a  horse.  The  women  do  all  the  drudgery,  and 
are  treated  as  mere  slaves.  The  principal  occupation  of  these 
tribes  is  plunder;  their  religion,  Mohammedan,  with  the  sim- 
ple creed.  Love  Allah,  kill  your  neighbor,  and  pray  with  the 
face  toward  Mecca  five  times  a  day.  Owing  to  their  preda- 
tory character,  their  greed  for  backsheesh,  and  great  hatred  for 
Christians,  this  interesting  field,  which,  without  doubt,  contains 
the  oldest  monuments  of  man,  remains  almost  unexplored. 

It  is  only  within  a  few  years  that  foreigners,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, have  been  allowed  to  enter  this  "no  man's  land," 
ii3  it  is  called.  In  company  with  Dr.  James  Strong  and  his 
party,  under  the  American  flag,  with  a  firman  from  the  Sultan, 
and  letters  from  the  Pasha  of  the  Belka,  by  paying  liberal 
tribute  we  made  our  first  tour  of  this  disputed  territory  in  the 
spring  of  1874. 

No  portion  of  the  United  States  is  riclicr  than  this  high 


THE    LAND    OF   BEULAU.  317 

plateau,  containing  several  thousand  square  miles  of  well  watered^ 
fertile  land,  covered  with  flocks  and  herds,  and  black  with 
Bedouin  tents.  The  soil  is  a  rich  limestone  loam,  capable  of 
supporting  an  immense  population,  and  of  growing  ahnost  any 
thing,  reminding  one  very  much  of  the  rich  rolling  prairies  of 
the  Western  States. 

The  central  portion  of  this  region  is  known  among  the  na- 
tives as  the  Belka,  and  from  its  natural  productiveness,  its  salu- 
brious climate,  and  the  grand  outlook  from  the  lofty  mountains, 
taking  in  the  whole  of  the  Land  of  Promise  from  "  Dan  to 
Beer-sheba,"  and  "from  the  Jordan  to  the  uttermost  sea,"  with 
Jerusalem,  "  the  city  of  God,"  as  the  central  figure,  probably 
suggested  to  Isaiah  his  imagery  of  the  Land  of  Beulah,  which 
Bunyan  has  so  beautifully  woven  into  allegory,  illustrating  the 
repose  experienced  by  the  Christian  warrior  after  having  over- 
come the  world,  and  the  joy  which  enraptures  his  soul,  when, 
with  the  heavenly  Canaan  and  the  Celestial  City  in  view,  he 
descends  into  the  shadowy  valley  of  death,  crosses  in  safety 
the  Jordan,  and  passes  triumpliantly  home. 

The  Land  of  Moab  included  the  southern  part  of  this  terri- 
tory from  Edom  to  the  Mountains  of  Gilead,  a  vast,  almost  un- 
broken plateau  of  the  richest  soil,  capable  of  sustaining  a  dense 
population.  When  first  conquered  by  the  Israehtes,  Moses 
took  among  other  si)oils  six  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand 
sheep,  and  seventy-two  thousand  beeves ;  and  after  it  became 
tributary  to  Israel  we  find  the  king  of  Moab  paying  as  a  rev- 
enue to  the  king  of  Israel  two  hundred  thousand  lambs  and 
rams.*  These  figures  do  not  astonish  us  after  seeing  the 
natural  productiveness  of  the  country,  and  the  numerous  ruins 
that  almost  literally  cover  its  surface. 

*  2  Kings  iii,  4. 


,318 


13H5LE    LANDS. 


Some  of  these  ruins,  as  of  Rabbali  Amnion,  are  immense ;: 
liundreds  of  beautiful  granite  and  marble  columns  strew  tlie 
ground,  some  of  tliem  sixty  feet  long  and  Hfteen  or  twenty 
feet  in  circumference.  One  very  unique  building  near  the 
river  must  have  been  designed  for  a  tomb ;  or,  perhaps,  was 
the  repository  of  the  "  iron  bedstead  "  '  of  Og,  the  giant  king  of 
Bashan.    The  gate-way  on  the  north,  before  which  Uriah  proba- 


RABBAH   AMMON. 


bly  fell,  is  a  wonderful  piece  of  workmanship,  and  of  itself 
would  repay  a  trip  from  America  to  see.  This  city  must  have 
been  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  as  the  columns  generally  Ife 
in  one  direction,  as  if  prostrated  at  the  same  moment  by  some 
sudden  shock  or  upheaval  of  the  earth.  We  saw  many  camels 
feeding  among  the  ruins,  literally  fulfilling  the  prediction  cf 

'  Deuteronomy  iii,  II.. 


EABBAH    A:\rMOK  319 

Rzekiel,  "  I  will  make  Rabbah  a  stable  for  camels." '  Of  IIcsli- 
bon,  the  royal  city  of  Sihon,  king  of  tlie  Amorites,  but  little  re- 
mains. Her  famous  fish-pools  are  in  ruins;  her  walls  lie  in 
the  dust ;  and  in  looking  over  her  waste  places  one  is  ready  to 
adopt  the  plaintive  language  of  Isaiah,  "  I  will  water  thee  witL 
my  tears,  O  ITcshbon." '  Near  Rabbath-Moab  we  found  the 
remains  of  a  large  temple,  facing  the  east,  with  portico  in  front, 
and  many  broken  pillars,  and  richly  carved  capitals,  and  frag- 
ments of  cornice  lying  around.  Among  the  rubbish  were  sev- 
eral sculptured  figures  of  lions  and  other  animals,  and  on  the 
end  of  a  stone  two  feet  square  and  four  feet  long  was  carved 
the  head  of  a  woman  in  alto  relievo.  The  hair  was  parted  in. 
the  center,  and  hung  in  ringlets  over  the  sides  of  the  face,  rest- 
ing gracefully  on  the  shoulders.  There  seemed  to  be  a  crescent 
supporting  the  figure,  with  rays  of  hght  radiating  from  the 
head.  The  features  were  youthful  and  intellectual;  and,  I 
have  no  doubt,  the  image  belonged  to  the  temple  close  by,  and 
was  designed  to  represent  Ashtaroth,  the  queen  of  heaven  and 
consort  of  Baal,  the  favorite  goddess  of  the  old  Phoenicians, 
whose  first  settlements,  long  anterior  to  the  founding  of  Tyre 
or  Sidon,  were  east  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  in  this  immediate- 
neighborhood. 

Rabbath-Moab,  the  Afeopolis  of  the  Greeks,  became  the. 
capital  of  Moab  after  the  Amorites  took  possession  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  territory  lying  north  of  the  river  Arnon ;  and  after 
the  fall  of  Petra  it  was  made  the  metropolis  of  Palestina  Tertia. 
The  place  is  now,  and  has  been  for  centuries,  entirely  deserted. 
The  old  Roman  road  from  Petra,  running  north,  passes  through 
it,  along  which  may  still  be  seen  some  of  the  mile-stones  giving 
the  distance  in  Roman  numerals  to  unknown  places.  Many  ol 
•  Ezekiel  ixv,  6.  •  Isaiah  xv,  9. 


820  BIBLE   LANDS. 

tlie  streets  are  clearly  defined.  The  gate-ways  are  plainly 
marked.  Some  beautiful  columns  are  still  standing,  and  half 
buried  in  rubbish  arc  the  remains  of  tombs,  temples,  theaters, 
and  other  edifices,  showing  the  extent  and  grandeur  of  the  city 
that  was  "  laid  waste  and  brought  to  silence  in  a  night."  ' 

"  The  road  to  the  Arnon,"  along  which  the  children  of  Israel 
must  have  traveled  when  they  came  up  out  of  Egypt,  may  still 
be  traced  from  here  to  the  "city  in  the  midst  of  the  river,"* 
and  in  places  the  ruts  may  still  be  seen,  worn  by  chariot  wheels 
in  its  sohd  bed.  Wady  Mo  jib,  through  which  the  Arnon  flows, 
formed  the  southern  boundary  of  trans-Jordanic  Palestine  and 
the  northern  boundary  of  Moab  after  the  conquest  of  the  coun- 
try by  the  Israelites— a  natural  barrier,  standing  hke  a  wall  of 
iron  two  thousand  feet  high  between  the  two  nations.  The 
passage  of  this  chasm  was  truly  frightful.  It  was  with  great 
difliculty  we  succeeded  in  getting  down  to  the  river,  as  in  places 
the  bluffs  were  almost  pcrjicndicular ;  and  the  only  way  we 
could  make  the  ascent  was  by  a  zigzag  path  through  clefts  in 
the  rocks.  Sometimes  it  appeared  like  going  up  a  ^vinding 
staircase,  and  in  a  few  instances  we  had  to  dismount,  and  were 
drawn  up  by  holding  on  to  our  horses'  tails. 

A  few  miles  south  of  ancient  Ar  is  the  renowned  fortress 
and  city  of  Kerak,  the  Kir-harcseth  of  the  Bible,'  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  ruins  in  the  world. 

As  the  name  signifies,  this  is  emphatically  a  city  on  a  hill, 
being  situated  on  a  towering  rock  at  least  one  thousand  feet 
above  the  surrounding  valleys,  and  four  thousand  three  hun- 
di*ed  and  ninety  feet  above  the  Dead  Sea  at  its  base.  And 
yet  even  this  elevated  platform  is  commanded  by  the  neigh- 
boring heights,  which  inclose  it  on  all  sides  except  the  west. 

>  Isaiah  xt,  1.  »  Joshua  xiu,  9.  » Isaiah  xvi,  1. 


CASTLE   OF   KERAK.  323 

On  these  heights  the  armies  of  Israel  were  encamped  when 
"  the  slingers  went  about  it  and  smote  it." '  Naturally  a  strong 
jiosition,  it  was  rendered  by  art  almost  impregnable.  Formerly, 
the  only  entrances  were  through  two  dark,  crooked  tunnels  cut 
out  of  the  solid  rock,  and  commanded  by  fortifications  of  great 
strength.  Even  the  citadel  was  so  isolated  from  the  city  by  a 
deep,  wide  fosse  that  an  enemy  in  possession  of  either  post 
could  not  occupy  the  other.  These  fortifications  are  of  three 
distinct  periods.  The  most  ancient  belongs  to  the  Jewish,  the 
next  to  the  Roman,  and  the  third  to  the  time  of  the  Crusaders. 
It  was  here  that  Raynald  of  ChatiUon,  when  Lord  of  Kerak, 
feeling  secure  in  the  possession  of  this  stronghold,  defied  the 
authority  of  Baldwin,  King  of  Jerusalem,  broke  the  treaty 
with  Saladin,  and  by  his  rashness  brought  on  the  battle  of 
Hattin,  that  resulted  in  the  fall  of  Jerusalem  and  expulsion  of 
the  Crusaders  from  Palestine. 

The  platform  on  which  the  city  is  built  is  about  two  miles  in 
circumference,  and  has  been  surrounded  by  a  high,  strong  wall 
resting  on  the  natural  rock,  which  was  either  scarped  down  or 
smoothly  faced,  rendering  it  insurmountable  from  without. 

These  defenses  are,  in  many  places,  in  ruins,  it  being  the  pol- 
icy of  the  Turkish  Government  to  weaken  the  position  as  much 
as  possible.  A  year  or  two  since  a  Turkish  garrison  was  sent 
here,  but  the  natives  refused  to  tolerate  it,  and  drove  the  sol- 
diers out  of  the  citadel  and  back  to  Damascus. 

The  two  principal  positions  of  strength  are  the  castle  and 
citadel.  The  former  was  built  by  Bybars,  King  of  Egypt,  about 
A.  D.  1363.  This  fortress  fronts  to  the  north-west.  The  lower 
sections  of  the  walls  are  twenty-seven  feet  thick,  casemated, 
and  the  whole  flanked  by  two  lofty  square  towers  with  loop- 

'  2  Kings  iii,  25. 


324  BIBLE   LANDS. 

holes  for  the  archers.  The  other  stronghold  is  the  great  citadel 
on  the  southern  angle  of  the  wall,  an  immense  fortress,  perhaps 
one  thousand  feet  long,  by  half  that  distance  wide,  and  from 
eight  to  ten  stories  high.  Portions  of  this  citadel  belong  to  a 
very  early  period,  but  it  was  greatly  strengthened  and  enlarged 
by  Raynald  and  Godfrey  of  Boulogne,  in  the  tweKth  century. 
Taken  altogether,  this  is  the  grandest  ruin  in  Moab,  and  the 
greatest  monument  the  Crusaders  have  left  of  their  energy  and 
power.  The  walls  are  of  incredible  thickness,  and  of  the  most 
massive  masonry — vaults,  arches,  galleries,  rising  one  above 
another  to  a  bewildering  height,  and  pierced  by  innumerable 
loop-holes.  In  the  center  are  the  remains  of  a  large  Christian 
church,  with  vaulted  ceiling,  once  frescoed.  Some  of  the  paint- 
ings may  still  be  faintly  traced — one,  the  head  of  some  saint 
with  a  corona,  is  quite  distinct.  A  secret  gallery  cut  through  the 
solid  rock  connected  the  citadel  with  the  castle.  Somewhere  on 
this  high  altar,  perhaps  on  the  esplanade  where  our  tents  are 
pitched  and  the  American  flag  is  waving,  thirty  centuries  ago  one 
of  the  most  tragic  scenes  in  our  world's  history  was  witnessed. 
The  kings  of  Israel,  Judah,  and  Edom,  made  war  against  Moab. 
They  laid  waste  the  whole  land,  and  drove  the  Moabites  with 
their  king  into  this  strong  position,  laying  siege  to  the  citadel. 
The  battle  became  too  sore  for  the  King  of  Moab,  and  as  a  for- 
lorn hope,  with  seven  himdred  men  he  undertook  to  cut  his  way 
out  of  his  beleaguered  castle,  but  in  this  he  failed.  Then,  in 
his  desperation,  that  he  might  fire  his  own  army  with  increased 
ardor,  and  show  to  the  enemy  his  determination  to  sacrifice 
every  thing  before  surrendering,  "  he  took  his  eldest  son,  who 
should  have  reigned  in  his  stead,  and  offered  him  for  a  burnt- 
offering  upon  the  waU,"  *  probably  in  full  view  of  both  armies ; 

>  2  Kings  iii,  2Y. 


FORTRESS    OF   MACH^RUS.  325 

rousing  among  his  soldiers  sucli  a  feeling  of  indignation  against 
Israel  as  to  cause  the  allies  to  raise  the  siege  at  once,  "  and  re- 
turn to  their  own  land." 

The  Kerak  Arabs  are  among  the  most  treacherous  and  dan- 
gerous tribes  east  of  the  Jordan.  We  were  the  first  Americans 
to  pass  through  their  territory,  and  on  several  occasions  appre- 
hended the  most  serious  results,  but  by  paying  liberal  back- 
sheesh, with  due  prudence  and  firmness,  managed  to  escape 
with  our  lives. 

But  the  place  of  greatest  interest  to  the  Christian  in  all  this 
land,  so  remarkable  for  its  wonders,  is  the  lonely  fortress  and 
castle  of  Machserus,  mentioned  by  both  Pliny  and  Strabo  as 
among  the  strongest  fortifications  of  the  Jews,  and  where  John 
the  Baptist  was  imprisoned  and  beheaded.  About  midway  be- 
tween Wady  Zerka  on  the  north  and  the  River  Amon  on  the 
south,  two  of  the  deepest,  wildest  gorges  that  cut  their  way 
down  to  the  Dead  Sea  from  the  east,  on  a  bold  spur  of  the 
mountain  that  projects  westward  from  the  main  land,  and  ap- 
pears to  overhang  the  sea  four  thousand  feet  below,  are  the 
ruins  of  this  celebrated  fortress. 

This  spur  is,  perhaps,  two  miles  long,  sloping  gradually  to- 
ward the  west,  but  is  cut  through  about  midway  by  two  deep 
ravines,  leaving  in  the  center  a  high,  almost  perpendicular,  con- 
ical hill,  upon  which  stood  the  citadel  and  palace,  the  city  cov- 
ering the  upper  and  lower  terraces  east  and  west  of  the 
Acropolis, 

The  place,  naturally  strong,  was  rendered  almost  invulnerable 
by  numerous  walls,  ditches,  and  towers,  the  remains  of  which 
lie  scattered  over  the  ridge.  No  sooner  had  we  pitched  our 
tents,  and  unfurled  the  stars  and  stripes  amid  the  ruins  of  the 
upper  city,  than  we,  in  company  with  Dr.  Ridgaway,  hastened 


326  BIBLE   LANDS. 

o£E  to  the  citadel,  perhaps  half  a  mile  due '  west,  ambitious  to 
be  the  first  Americans  to  enter  this  interesting  ruin.  Descend- 
ing by  the  old  road  to  the  causeway  thrown  across  the  valley 
on  the  south-east  by  the  Romans,  when  the  stronghold  was 
taken  by  Bassus,  we  began  the  fatiguing  ascent,  and  after  much 
chmbing,  scrambling,  and  falling,  the  writer  was  the  first  to 
reach  the  summit,  and  look  out  upon  the  grand  panorama  in 
front ;  for  from  this  eminence  the  whole  of  the  Dead  Sea,  with 
its  desolate  shores — Jerusalem,  and  all  the  hill  country  of 
Judea,  Jericho,  and  the  Yalley"  of  the  Jordan  stretching  far 
away  to  the  north,  can  be  distinctly  seen.  The  fortress  was 
circular,  about  one  thousand  feet  in  circumference,  the  walls 
of  which  can  still  be  traced,  and,  as  described  by  Jewish  his- 
torians, were  of  great  strength,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty 
cubits  high,  which  may  be  correct,  as  the  upper  section  of  the 
cone  appeared  to  be  artificial,  similar  to  that  at  Herodium. 
The  valleys  which  formed  the  natural  defenses  of  this  fortress 
are  of  great  depth,  so  deep,  says  one  historian,  "  that  the  eye 
could  not  reach  their  bottom,"  which  is  strictly  true,  for  when 
standing  among  the  ruins  on  the  summit  of  this  lofty  cone, 
we  found  it  impossible  to  see  some  of  our  party  in  the  abyss 
below,  so  precipitous  are  the  sides  and  so  deep  the  valleys. 

"Within  the  citadel  was  the  royal  palace,  which  to  us  is  the 
chief  point  of  interest,  as  the  place  of  John's  imprisonment 
and  martyrdom.  The  palace,  according  to  Josephus,  was  of 
"towering  height  and  vastly  beautiful,"  the  ascent  to  which, 
from  the  lower  city,  was  by  a  secret  staircase,  which  also  com- 
municated with  great  cisterns  cut  in  the  sides  of  the  mountain, 
one  of  which  is  ninety  feet  long,  twenty  wide,  and  thirty  deep, 
hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock,  with  steps  leading  down  to  it  on 
the  north. 


PEISOIS-    OF   JOHN   THE   BAPTIST.  327 

Among  the  remains  of  the  castle  we  found  two  vaulted 
dungeons,  thirty  feet  long  and  twenty  wide,  near  the  wall  on 
the  south ;  in  one  of  which,  more  than  probably,  the  forerun- 
ner of  Christ  was  beheaded.  It  was  with  peculiar  emotions  we 
hunted  among  the  mbbish  of  ages  for  some  memento  of  the 
place,  and  when  we  found  the  mouth-piece  of  an  old  earthen 
water-jar,  we  could  not  but  think  that  perhaps  the  parched  lips 
of  the  martyr  might  once  have  touched  that  piece  of  potter's 
clay.    Yery  sad,  indeed,  to  visit  the  scene  of  such  painful  events. 

Josephus  gives  a  full  description  of  Machserus  and  its  event- 
ful history,*  and  the  place  in  every  particular  answers  the  de- 
scription. It  was  built  by  Alexander,  son  of  Hyrcanus  I.,  but 
afterward  enlarged  and  strengthened  by  Herod  the  Great,  who, 
to  protect  his  Arabian  frontier,  made  it  the  most  formidable 
fortress  east  of  the  Jordan. 

To  this  castle  Herod  Antipas  brought  Herod  ias,  his  brother 
Philip's  wife,  having  first  discarded  his  own  wife,  the  daughter 
of  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia,  with  whom  he  had  long  happily 
lived.  John  at  the  same  time  was  preaching  and  baptizing  in 
the  neighborhood.  He  was  unsparing  in  his  denunciations, 
and  fearlessly  told  Herod  "  it  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  have 
his  brother's  wife."  This  rebuke  provoked  the  wi-ath  of  her 
with  whom  the  king  was  living  in  adultery.  At  the  instiga- 
tion of  Herodias  John  was  at  once  arrested  and  cast  into  the 
prison  of  Machserus.  And  it  was  here  that  Herod,  during  the 
celebration  of  his  birth-day,  when  surrounded  by  his  court,  to 
please  the  whims  of  this  abandoned  woman  and  to  flatter  the 
vanity  of  a  dancing  damsel,  against  his  own  better  convictions, 
sent  to  the  prison  in  the  midnight  hour  and  had  this  man  of 
God  beheaded. 

'  Jewish  WaTQ,  vii,  6. 


328  BIBLE    LANDS. 

Herod  and  liis  infamous  mistress  have  long  since  gone  to 
their  reward,  their  palace  lies  in  ruins,  and  their  scepter  has 
dej^arted  forever ;  but  the  voice  they  sought  to  hush  in  death 
may  still  be  heard  "  crying  in  the  wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord ;"  and  John  the  Baptist  never  preached  more 
effectively  than  he  does  to-day  from  the  prostrate  walls  and 
silent  dungeons  of  Machperus.  How  strange  that  the  scene  of 
one  of  the  most  tragic  events  in  Gospel  history  should  so  long 
remain  unvisited  by  the  Christian  traveler  ;  and  more  especially 
when  we  consider  that  the  name  has  never  been  changed, 
M'khaur,  the  present  name,  being  the  exact  Arabic  of  the  Greek 
Machnerus ! 


I 


jimw^. 


CHAPTER  IL 

HOT    SPRINGS    OF   OALIEEHOE ^THE   MOABITE    STONE. 

Zurka  Mdin— Enchanting  Valley— Numerous  Hot  Springs— Delicious  Bathing- 
Strange  Legend— Fishmg  m  Wady  WAleh— Dibon,  Ancient  Capital  of  Moab— 
Discovery  of  the  Mesha  Stone — Oldest  Alphabetic  Inscription— A  lost  Chapter 
of  the  Bible  recovered. 

ONE  of  the  most  remarkable  and  romantic  valleys  in  this 
land  of  wonders  and  romance  is  the  Zurka  Mdin,  or  Ca- 
lirrhoe,  celebrated  for  its  hot  springs,  mentioned  by  Pliny  and 
Josephus/  and  to  which  Herod  the  Great  resorted  during  his 
last  illness — a  wild  gorge  directly  north  of,  and  about  three  thou- 
sand feet  below,  Machaerus.  Riding  out  the  old  Roman  road 
along  the  ridge  north  of  M'khaur,  we  soon  began  the  descent 
of  the  mountain  to  a  lower  terrace,  where  we  found  traces  of  a 
pre-historic  race  in  numerous  dolmens,  tumuli,  and  curious 
stone  circles  composed  of  large  basalt  blocks,  the  inclosures 
being  from  two  to  three  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  Sweeping 
round  the  head  of  Wady  Z'gara,  from  which  a  grand  view  of 
the  sea  and  country  beyond  is  had,  we  continued  our  descent 
by  a  perilous  path  over  fields  of  lava  and  scoria,  very  much  like 
Vesuvius.  Next,  we  came  to  the  limestone  bed,  and  below 
this  to  a  strata  of  pure  rock-salt  of  unknown  thickness,  crop- 
ping out  of  the  mountain,  and  corresponding  exactly  with  the 
formation  at  Jebel  Usdum.  It  was  a  bold  piece  of  engineering 
to  construct  a  chariot  road  down  such  a  declivity,  but  the  old 
Romans  did  it,  and  did  it  well,  as  in  places  where  our  path 

Antiquities,  xvii,  6. 

329 


330  BIBLE   LANDS. 

crossed  the  old  track  we  could  still  see  its  solid  bed  and  side 
walls.  After  two  hours  of  riding  and  walking,  stumbling  and 
falling,  we  reached  safely  the  bottom  of  this  deep  gorge,  which, 
for  natural  beauty,  is  without  an  equal.  The  valley,  generally, 
is  not  more  than  fifty  or  one  hundred  yards  wide,  walled  in  with 
almost  perpendicular  cliffs  from  five  hundred  to  one  thousand 
feet  high,  as  if  rent  asunder  by  some  earthquake,  reminding 
one  very  much  of  the  canons  of  California.  The  view  through 
this  chasm  down  to  the  Dead  Sea  is  fearfully  grand  ;  for  wild- 
ness  nothing  can  surpass  it  in  Palestine.  On  these  towering 
cliffs  the  eagle,  undisturbed,  builds  her  nest,  and  the  ibex,  un- 
pursued  by  man,  leaps  from  crag  to  crag,  while  in  the  jungle 
at  their  base  the  wild  boar  and  leopard  still  find  a  safe  retreat. 

Being  one  thousand  feet  lower  than  the  level  of  the  ocean, 
with  a  mild  temperature,  and  well  supplied  with  water,  vegeta- 
tion is  prolific  and  the  effect  enchanting.  Date-bearing  palm- 
trees,  with  the  juniper  and  tamarisk,  grow  in  every  nook  and 
corner ;  thickets  of  oleanders,  in  full  bloom,  border  the  streams ; 
dense  cane-brakes  wave  their  beautiful  plumes  in  the  air ;  wild 
tulips  and  geraniums,  of  most  delicate  tints,  perfume  the  whole 
valley ;  mosses  and  maiden-hair  ferns  fringe  the  limpid  fount- 
ains, and  every  rock  appeared  as  set  in  a  frame-work  of  flowers. 
The  whole  scene,  gladdened  by  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and 
the  softer  notes  of  the  cuckoo  and  other  warblers  of  the  glen, 
makes  this  truly  a  lovely  spot  for  sick  and  weary  mortals. 

There  are  ten  hot  springs  in  the  distance  of,  perhaps,  three 
miles.  They  are  all  on  the  north  side  of  the  gorge,  four  to  six 
miles  from  the  sea,  and  burst  forth  at  the  junction  of  the  lime- 
stone with  the  red  sandstone.  Their  temperature  ranges  from 
ninety  to  one  hundred  and  forty-five  degrees  Fahrenheit.  In 
testing  one  I  found  it  impossible   to   hold  my  hand  in  the 


ZrRKA    MAIN CALIRRHOE. 


DELICIOUS    BATHING.  333 

water  over  half  a  second.  It  was  rather  amusing  to  see  the 
horses  jump  when  they  stepped  into  these  seething  fountains. 
The  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur,  and  where  it 
issues  from  the  mountain  leaves  a  sulphurous  deposit,  in  some 
instances  acres  in  extent.  This  deposit  increases  from  year  to 
year,  so  that  some  of  the  springs,  immediately  below  their 
source,  are  entirely  covered  to  a  depth  of  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  feet,  just  as  ice  forms  over  a  running  brook  in  winter. 
In  some  places  there  are  crevices  in  this  crust  from  which  the 
heated  air  and  steam  escape,  affording  a  grand  vapor  bath. 
Where  the  water  forms  into  cascades  the  rocks,  shrubs,  and 
even  trees,  are  incrusted  with  the  sulphur,  giving  them  the 
appearance  of  beautiful  coral  formations.  In  one  place,  in  par- 
ticular, at  the  foot  of  a  water-fall,  large  palm-trees  were  petri- 
fied or  turned  into  sulphur,  and  crumbled  hke  chalk  to  the 
touch.  A  few  steps,  however,  from  the  springs,  vegetation 
flourishes  as  in  tropical  climes. 

Bathing  here  is  as  great  a  novelty  as  luxury.  Almost  any 
temperature  of  water  can  be  enjoyed,  as  hot  and  cold  streams  fre- 
quently flow  side  by  side  in  the  same  channel,  for  some  distance, 
without  commingling.  On  the  one  side,  where  the  cold  stream 
flows,  all  is  life — fish  abound,  and  flowers  bloom  along  the 
shore ;  on  the  other  side,  where  the  hot  water  runs,  all  is  death, 
not  a  thing  that  hath  life  can  be  found  in  the  stream  or  on  its 
banks.  In  bathing,  you  can  flrst  plunge  into  a  pool  seemingly 
hot  enough  to  scald  you,  then  with  a  bound  leap  into  another 
cold  enough  to  chill  you  ;  or  you  can  lie  with  your  head  in  the 
cold  water,  and  your  feet  in  the  warm.  And  quite  a  novel  and 
pleasing  sensation  is  experienced  by  lying  on  your  back  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream  with  half  your  body  in  cold  water,  and 
the  other  half  in  hot ;  one  side  almost  parboiled,  the  other  de- 


334  BLBLE   LANDS. 

liglitf ully  cool.  Wliat  a  place  for  a  sanitarium !  I  know  of 
nothing  like  it. 

On  the  plateau  directly  north  of  these  springs  is  the  tradi- 
tional field  where  Elijah,  on  his  return  from  Horeb,  met  Elisha 
"  plowing  with  twelve  yoke  of  oxen."  '  There  is  nothing  sur 
prising  in  this  statement.  I  have  seen  as  many  as  twenty  yoke 
of  oxen  plowing  at  the  same  time  in  the  same  field. 

Our  party  were  the  first  Americans  to  visit  these  remarkable 
springs,  which  for  more  than  two  thousand  years  have  been 
celebrated  for  their  healing  properties.  This  was  the  great  re- 
sort of  the  Komans  in  the  days  of  the  Empire,  but  we  could 
find  no  trace  of  Herod's  marble  baths  ;  every  thing  being  bur- 
ied beneath  the  sulphurous  deposits  of  twenty  centuries.  The 
few  Bedouins  who  come  here  to  be  cured  of  their  infirmities 
believe  firmly  in  the  virtue  of  the  water,  and  have  a  tradition 
that  these  fountains  flow  from  the  lower  regions,  and  are  al- 
lowed to  escape  lest  the  unfortunate  doomed  should  bathe  in 
their  healing  waters  and  be  restored  to  Kfe  again. 

Leaving  these  springs,  and  continuing  up  the  valley  to  its 
head,  we  rode  over  a  rocky  ridge  into  Wady  W41eh,  a  branch 
of  the  Arnon,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night  in  a  grove  of 
flowering  oleanders.  An  old  Roman  road  once  crossed  the 
valley  at  this  point  on  a  bridge  of  five  stone  arches,  now  in 
ruins ;  the  paved  road-bed  may  still  be  seen,  and  on  some  of  the 
mile-stones  can  still  be  read  the  name  of  the  Emperor  Severus. 
We  saw  illustrated  here  how  "the  waters  wear  the  stones." 
The  bed  of  the  stream  is  a  soft  limestone,  and  the  waters  have 
worn  it  into  a  thousand  different  channels,  cavities,  and  pools, 
of  every  fantastic  form :  some  of  them  have  the  shape  of  bath- 
tubs, in  one  of  which  we  took  a  refreshing  swim ;   others  are 

'  1  Kings  xix,  19. 


^Yl^x^Alj^iL^/i?^;r4Y^^i''^'i^J'^^/fn        H 


THK    MOABITE    STONE. 


DISCOVERY    OF   TIIE    MOABITE    STOISTE.  337 

larger,  and  full  of  fish,  of  which  we  caught  euough  for  break- 
fast. The  fish,  not  being  acquainted  with  modern  tactics,  were 
easily  taken  with  a  pin-hook.  The  natives  tliought  the  fish 
very  foolish  for  biting,  and  said,  "They  caught  themselves, 
for  if  they  didn't  bite,  they  wouldn't  be  caught." 

Striking  our  tents  at  an  early  hour  wo  soon  gained  the  high, 
rich  plateau  immediately  north  of  the  Arnon,  dotted  with  flocks 
and  herds,  and  yellow  with  fields  of  wheat  and  barley,  where 
Sihon,  king  of  the  Amorites,  was  slain  when  he  gave  battle  to 
the  Israelites  after  refusing  them  the  privilege  of  passing 
through  his  territory.  A  ride  of  a  few  miles  over  this  fertile 
plain — the  grass  in  some  places  up  to  our  horses'  knees — brought 
us  to  the  ruins  of  Dibou,  the  ancient  capital  of  Moab,  where 
the  celebrated  Mesha  stone  was  found. 

Among  all  the  discoveries  of  modem  times  none  possess 
greater  interest  to  the  linguist,  historian,  and  biblical  scholar, 
than  "The  Moabite  Stone."  Apart  from  the  light  it  sheds 
upon  an  obscure  portion  of  Jewish  history,  it  is  of  great  value 
to  the  archaeologist  as  the  oldest  specimen  of  alphabetic  writing 
extant — dating  back  at  least  to  890  B.  C.  The  Assyrian  inscrip- 
tions are  older  than  the  Moabite,  but  they  are  not  a  language 
of  letters;  the  arrow-headed  character  being  used  to  denote 
whole  words.  The  hieroglj-phics  of  Eg}'pt  are  older,  but  they 
are  symbolic  writing,  not  alphabetic.  Among  the  Egyptians  a 
lamp  signified  life ;  a  jackal,  cunning ;  a  waving  line,  running 
water ;  so  that  the  finding  of  this  stone  has  helped  greatly  to 
settle  the  long-disputed  question  as  to  the  origin  of  letters  and 
the  art  of  writing.  It  also  shows  clearly  that  the  Semitic  na- 
tions east  of  the  Jordan  were  more  ciWhzed  than  is  generally 
admitted ;  that  they  practiced  writing  nearly  a  thousand  years 
before  Christ,  if  not  much  earlier ;  that  they  had  a  complete 


838  BIBLE    LANPS. 

alphabet  of  their  own  language,  and  kept  correct  records  of 
important  events ;  that  in  writing,  the  same  characters  were 
used  by  all  the  Semitic  nations ;  and  that  the  Phoenician  and 
Hebrew  alphabets  are  closely  allied,  if  not  identical,  in  their 
origin.  It  also  illustrates  the  history  of  our  own  language,  for 
the  whole  of  the  Greek  alphabet  is  here  found  in  its  primitive 
state,  not  only  similar  to,  but  scarcely  distinguishable  from,  the 
Phoenician;  answering  fully  the  objections  that  have  been 
made  to  Psalm  cxix,  and  other  alphabetical  Psalms ;  and  show- 
ing that  the  Greeks  must  have  received  their  entire  alphabet 
from  the  East,  which  is  very  likely,  since  it  appears  that  Cad- 
mus signifies  the  Orient,  and  is  not  a  proper  name.  And  what 
is  singular,  we  find  on  this  stone  many  of  the  letters  of  our 
own  alphabet,  showing  that  the  characters  in  use  to-day  are 
very  similar  to  those  used  in  the  days  of  Moses. 

This  is  the  first  fragment  recovei-ed  of  Moabite  literature, 
and  all  that  is  extant  except  what  is  preserved  in  the  Mosaic 
records.  The  finding  of  this  stone  is  like  the  recovery  of  a 
lost  chapter  from  the  inspired  volume,  and,  without  doing  -v  io- 
lence  to  the  text,  might  be  added  to  the  Second  Book  of  Kings. 
The  first  chapter  of  that  book  opens  with  tlie  declaration, 
"Then  Moab  rebelled  against  Israel  after  the  death  of  Ahab." 
The  subject  then  changes,  and  nothing  more  is  said  of  this  re- 
volt till  we  come  to  the  third  chapter,  when  the  kings  of  Israel, 
Judah,  and  Edom,  go  forth  to  suppress  the  rebellion.  On  this 
monument  we  have  the  particulars  given  us  of  this  war,  who 
the  king  of  Moab  was,  wliere  he  lived,  the  cities  he  built,  the 
god  he  worshiped,  how  he  took  Kebo,  what  he  did  with  the 
prisoners,  and  finally,  in  his  desperation,  sacrificing  his  eldest 
son,  and  heir  to  his  throne,  on  the  esplanade  of  his  citadel  at 
Kerak,  in  si^ht  of  all  Israel. 


DESCRIPTIOIS'    OF   THE    STONE.  oo^ 

For  near  three  thousand  years  tliis  inscription  liad  been  Ij^ng 
among  the  rubbish  of  a  ruined  city.  Its  preservation  was  en- 
tirely owing  to  the  quality  of  the  stone  upon  which  it  was  en- 
graved— hard,  black  basalt,  requiring  a  diamond  to  cut  it — and  its 
discovery  was  purely  accidental.  The  first  European  to  see  it 
was  Kev.  F.  A.  Kline,  an  English  clergyman  of  Jerusalem,  who 
was  passing  through  Moab,  and  had  his  attention  called  to  it  by 
a  friendly  Arab  in  the  summer  of  1868.  The  value  of  the 
stone  was  not  known  at  first,  and  for  more  than  a  year  it  re- 
mained where  first  found,  on  the  surface  of  the  ground,  in  a 
depression  between  two  hills  covered  with  ruins,  in  the  north- 
west comer  of  Dibon.  When  discovered  it  was  lying  with  the 
inscription  uppermost,  and  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation ; 
but  unfortunately,  through  a  rivalry  that  sprang  up  among 
the  Bedouins  in  reference  to  the  backsheesh,  the  Ishmaelite, 
Saleem  el  Kari,  who  first  found  it,  kindled  a  fire  beneath  the 
stone,  and  by  throwing  cold  water  upon  it  when  heated,  broke 
this  invaluable  monument  of  antiquity  into  ten  thousand  pieces. 
About  seven  tenths  of  the  fragments  were  afterward  recovered, 
and  are  now  in  the  Louvi-e,  at  Paris.  There  were  over  one 
thousand  neatly  cut  letters  on  the  tablet  arranged  in  thirty-four 
lines.  About  seven  hundred  of  these  letters  have  been  secured, 
which,  with  the  "  squeezes  "  taken  before  and  after  its  destruc- 
tion, give  a  pretty  correct  idea  of  the  record. 

The  language  is  very  expressive,  and  the  sentences  carefully 
punctuated.  It  was  probably  placed  by  the  king  in  front  of 
some  temple  to  commemorate  his  victories  ;  and  from  the  facts 
set  forth,  we  learn  that  after  Solomon's  reign  Moab  again  be- 
came an  independent  nation ;  that  it  was  known  then  as  the- 
land  of  Moab  or  Meab ;  that  Mesha  was  king,  and  Dibon  its 
capital ;  that  they  were  oppressed   forty  years   Ijy  the  house  of 


340  BIBLE    LAIiDS. 

Omri,  father  of  Ahab  and  founder  of  Samaria ;  that  Jehovah 
was  generally  known  among  the  nations  as  Israel's  God,  and 
Chemosh  as  the  god  of  the  Moabitcs.  Mesha  goes  to  war  with 
Israel,  and  this  monumental  slab  was  erected  to  commemorate 
his  deeds. 

We  are  indebted  to  that  eminent  archreologist,  Clermont-Gan- 
neau,  for  the  most  correct  translation  of  this  invaluable  record. 
Other  portions  of  the  stone  have  more  recently  been  recovered 
by  M.  Clermont-Ganneau,  from  whom  we  learn,  in  addition  to 
the  above,  that  the  name  of  Mesha's  father  was  Chamos- 
Gad  ;  that  he  was  a  native  of  Dibon  ;  and  among  other  exploits 
took  Ar,  or  Hubbath-Moab,  and  slew  Ariel,  probably  Benaiah, 
one  of  David's  mighty  men,  who  had  slain  two  lion-Hke  men 
of  Moab.' 

How  strange  that  a  chapter  from  the  word  of  God,  after  ly- 
ing for  nearly  thirty  centuries  among  the  ruins  of  a  pagan 
temple,  should  thus  be  found  by  a  Christian  missionary  trav- 
eling through  the  land ! 

The  Bible  does  not  claim  to  narrate  all  the  events  of  the  past, 
only  the  most  important,  and  such  as  relate  to  God's  purposes 
in  the  redemption  of  man.  So,  really,  we  arc  no  wiser  relig- 
iously, by  this  discovery.  Still,  it  is  gratifying  in  this  age  of 
skepticism,  when  the  authenticity  of  the  Scriptures  is  often 
called  into  question,  to  find  among  the  vestiges  of  a  former  re- 
mote civilization  such  a  record  of  Jewish  history,  and  to  re- 
cover from  King  Mesha's  o%vn  royal  hbrary,  a  lapidary  volume 
fully  corroborating  the  truth  of  revelation. 
'  2  Samuel  ixiii,  20. 


CHAPTER    III 


MOUNT    PISOAU. 


Its  Identity  Established — Wady  Musa — The  Outpourings  of  Pisgah — Iligh  Placet 
of  Baal — King's  Ilighway — Moabite  Images — Grand  Outlook. 

THE  dream  of  my  life  has  at  last  been  realized.     From  boy- 
hood I  liad  been  singing  in  my  heart, 

"  Coukl  I  but  climb  where  Moses  stood." 

That  desire  has  just  been  gratified.  My  feet  have  stood  on 
Pisgah,  and  with  my  natural  vision  I  have  looked  beyond  tho 
Jordan,  and  viewed  "  the  landscape  o'er." 

Few  places  mentioned  in  the  Bible  have  been  more  fre- 
quently discussed  than  the  situation  of  Pisgah.  Yet,  down  to 
the  present,  its  precise  locahty  had  been  undetermined.  This 
was  owing  to  the  danger  attending  a  thorough  exploration  of 
the  country,  from  the  hostility  of  the  Bedouins  to  all  foreigners, 
especially  Christians.  All  these  tribes  are  uncivilized  and  ra- 
pacious, and  it  would  be  madness  to  attempt  to  go  through 
their  territory  without  permission  and  proper  escort.  We  had 
manj  adventures  with  these  wild  sons  of  Ishmael,  on  two 
occar  ons  being  compelled  at  midnight,  Arab-like, 

*'To  fold  our  tents  and  steal  away." 

We  however,  accomplished  our  purpose :  making  safely  the 
tour  of  Moab  and  Edom,  and,  at  least  to  our  own  satisfaction, 
fixi. g  many  localities  hitherto  unknown — among  them  the 
Pisgah  of  Moses.  ^^^ 


342  BIBLE    LANDS. 

All  who  have  investigated  the  subject  will  admit  that  this 
mountain  must  be  in  the  immediate  vicinity  designated.  To 
our  mind  the  arguments  adduced  are  conclusive  in  fixing  its 
locality  on  the  highest  summit  of  the  Nebo  range,  known 
among  the  natives  as  Jebel  I^eby,  or  Mountain  of  the  Prophet, 
a  bold  promontory  about  five  miles  west  of  Heshbon,  where 
the  mountain  breaks  off  abruptly,  falling  in  rocky  terraces 
down  to  the  Salt  Sea  and  plain  of  Shittim,  four  thousand  feet 
below. 

In  determining  the  position  of  this  mountain  we  have  to 
rely  upon  the  scriptural  account  and  natural  topography  of 
the  country.  The  inspii-ed  record  is  sufiiciently  clear  on  the 
subject :  "  And  Moses  went  up  from  the  Plains  of  Moab  unto 
the  mountain  of  Nebo,  to  the  top  of  Pisgah.  that  is  over  against 
Jericho,"  etc. '  Here  are  several  conditions  to  be  met  in  de- 
termining its  locality.  Pisgah  must  overlook  the  Dead  Sea 
and  Plains  of  Moab.  There  must  be  an  easy  ascent  to  its  top 
from  the  valley  below.  It  must  stand  opposite  to  or  facing  Jeri- 
cho ;  must  have  two  or  more  summits,  with  a  ravine  separating 
it  from  Bethpeor,  and  a  field  capable  of  cultivation  on  its  top, 
with  springs  of  water  flowing  from  beneath  it ;  and,  finally,  it 
must  command  a  view  of  the  whole  of  "Western  Palestine, 
and  trans-Jordanic  Palestine,  from  Dan  to  Zoar.  Kow,  all 
these  conditions  are  met  in  the  locality  we  have  given. 

Nebo  is  the  name  of  the  mountain — a  spur  of  the  "  Abarim  " 
range.  This  mountain  has  several  summits,  which  answer  to 
the  "  high  places  of  Baal,"  to  which  Balak  brought  Baalam. 
Pisgah,  which  signifies  the  height,  we  very  properly  apply  to 
the  highest  of  these  summits,  and  the  only  one  from  which  the 
"  utmost  sea,"  and  other  points  mentioned  in  the  narrative,  can 

'  Deuteronomy  xxxiv,  2. 


LOCALITY    OF    PISGAH.  343 

be  seen.  Ruins,  as  of  an  old  altar,  are  found  upon  this  hill ; 
we,  however,  attach  but  little  importance  to  this  circumstance, 
as  the  remains  of  altars  and  temples  are  found  on  all  the  "  high 
places  of  Moab." 

There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  place  where  the  Israelites 
were  encamped  at  the  time  of  their  leader's  death.  It  is  defi- 
nitely given,  "  On  the  Plains  of  Moab,  by  Jordan,  near  Jericho.'" 
This  alone  should  settle  the  position  of  Pisgah ;  as  Moses  locates 
it  directly  east  of  the  Jordan,  overlooking  the  Plains  of  Moab, 
and  facing  Jericho,  which  is  the  exact  position  of  the  mountain 
for  which  we  contend.  By  referring  to  the  interview  between 
Balak  and  Balaam,  you  will  find  that  the  king  of  Moab 
brought  the  Assyrian  prophet  to  the  "  field  of  Zophim,  to  the 
top  of  Pisgah  ; " '  which  literally  means  to  the  cultivated  fit^ld 
on  the  "  top  of  Pisgah,"  and  very  truthfully  applies  to  this 
mountain.  As  we  rode  over  the  undulating  ridge  to  the  east 
it  looked  like  a  beautiful  meadow,  with  here  and  there  cultivated 
patches — the  wheat  in  some  places  up  to  our  saddle-skirts,  and 
even  on  the  top  and  down  the  slopes  of  the  mountain  we  found 
fig  and  juniper-trees  growing;  and  in  one  place  discovered  an 
old  wine-press  ten  feet  by  eight  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  two  feet 
deep,  showing  that  there  must  have  been  at  one  time  vineyards 
here. 

Moses,  in  assigning  to  the  children  of  Reuben  their  portion 
of  the  territory,  names,  among  other  places,  Dibon,  Ileshbon, 
and  "  Ashdoth-Pisgah  "-^the  outpourings  or  "  springs  of  Pis. 
gah,"  as  rendered  in  our  translation.'  Here  we  have  natural 
landmarks  by  which  Pisgah  may  be  determined  to  a  certainty; 
it  being  the  highest  peak,  opposite  and  nearest  Jericho,  f.om 
beneath  which  the  fountains  pour. 

'  Numbers  xxxi,  12.         'Numbers  xxiii,  14.         *  Deuteronomy  iv,  49. 


344 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


Sweeping  round  the  base  of  this  mountain  on  the  east  and 
north  is  a  deep  ravine,  extending  down  to  the  Jordan,  up 
which  Moses  could  easily  have  ascended  from  the  plain  to  the 
top ;  and,  what  is  remarkable,  this  valley  is  still  called  by  the 
Arabs  Wady  Musa — tlie  Yalley  of  Moses.  Near  the  head  of 
this  ravine,  bursting  from  beneath  the  highest  summit,  are  a 
number  of  living  springs  of  clear,  pure,  cool  water,  forming 


SPRINGS   OF  MOSES. 


quite  a  brook,  that  leaps  in  beautiful  cascades  down  the  mount- 
ain side.  These  springs  are  known  as  Ayun  Musa — Springs  of 
Moses — and  correspond  exactly  with  the  outpourings  of  Pisgah. 
In  fact,  one  of  the  springs  literally  pours  from  a  natural  tunnel 
in  the  limestone  rock,  and,  after  flowino;  a  short  distance  along 
the  projecting  cliff,  at  one  bound  leaps  fully  fifty  feet  into  the 
gorge  below.     These  springs  are  an  argument  in  favor  of  this 


WADY    MUSA    AND    BETH-PEOR. 


345 


locality,  which  will  not  apply  to  any  other  mountain  east  of 
the  Jordan. 

After  the  Lord  showed  his  servant  "  the  land  which  he  sware 
unto  Abraham,"  it  is  recorded  that  Moses  died,  and  was 
"  buried  in  a  valley  over  against  Beth-peor,"  Now,  directly 
east  of  this  mountain,  across  Wady  Musa,  is  another  eminence^ 
with  the  tomb  of  some  sheik  and  ruins  upon  it,  which  in  eveiy 
respect  answers  to  Beth-peor ;  that  is,  the  House  of  Peor,  or 
place  where  Baal-Peor,  the  god  of  the  Moabites,  was  worshiped. 
This  deity  corresponds  with  the  Roman  Priapus,  and  is  iden 


MOABITE    IMAGES    FOUND    NEAR    PISGAH. 


tical  with  Chemosh,  the  national  god  of  the  Moabites,  whose 
name  is  frequently  mentioned  on  the  celebrated  Moabite  stone^ 
found  at  Dibon,  only  a  few  miles  south  of  this. 

The  religious  rites  attending  the  worship  of  Baal-Peor  were 
of  the  most  indecent  character,  as  the  name  indicates,  and  as 
may  be  seen  from  the  idols  and  coins  recently  found  in  Moab ; 
and  it  is  a  singulai  coincidence  that  within  a  few  years  hun- 
dreds of  obscene  idols  of  this  god,  made  chiefly  of  terra-cotta^ 
have  been  found  in  this  vicinity,  and  are  now  on  exhibition  in 
the  Berlin  museum.     When  the  children  of  Israel  entered  the 


346  BIBLE   LANDS. 

country  and  pitched  their  tents  "  before  Nebo,"  they  became 
enamored  with  the  daughters  of  Moab,  and  joined  in  the  wor- 
ship of  this  deity,  thus  provoking  the  anger  of  the  Lord,  who 
sent  a  plague  upon  them,  and  destroyed  twenty-four  thousand 
of  the  people  for  their  apostasy.  The  identity  of  tliis .  place 
we  regard  as  additional  proof  in  support  of  our  position. 

The  valley  over  against  Beth-peor  is,  beyond  doubt,  Wady 
Musa,  or  the  deep  ra^dne  between  Pisgah  and  Beth-peor,  which 
leads  down  to  the  Plains  of  Moab,  and  up  which  Moses  made 
the  ascent  of  Pisgah,  and  the  same  down  whicli  the  children  of 
Israel  may  have  passed.  Ayun  Musa,  or  the  Springs  of  Moses, 
referred  to  above,  are  also  in  tliis  ravine,  pouring  down  from 
over  a  shelving  rock  their  limpid  waters,  causing  the  whole 
valley  to  rejoice.  Here,  it  is  said,  the  servant  of  Odd  rested 
on  his  weary  way  up  the  mountain.  Poor  pilgrim  !  another 
halt,  and  thou  shalt  reach  thy  journey's  end  !  Slake  thy  thirst 
for  the  last  time ;  for  from  the  peak  that  towers  above  thy 
head  thy  pure,  meek  spirit  shall  return  to  God.  There  are 
many  caves  and  rock-tombs  in  the  side  of  Pisgah  facing  Beth- 
peor;  and  if  the  great  prophet  was  not  translated,  no  doubt 
somewhere  in  this  lovely  valley,  among  the  blooming  lihes  and 
babbling  waterfalls,  forever  concealed  from  mortal  eyes  by  the 
wild  flowers  and  ferns  that  hang  in  drapery  rich  from  every 
cliff,  is  the  grave  of  Moses — God's  faithful  servant,  and  earth's 
greatest  lawgiver. 

Having  carefully  examined  all  the  mountains  from  the  Jab- 
bok  to  the  Amon,  we  are  fully  persuaded  this  is  the  only  one 
that  can  fulfill  all  the  conditions  in  the  scriptural  account — 
Mount  Gilead  being  too  far  north,  and  Attarus  entirely  too  far 
south.  Then,  neither  of  these  mountains  are  opposite  Jericho ; 
there  never  could  have  been  a  cultivated  field  on  their  rocky 


SPRINGS    OF   PISGAH.  347 

fiummits ;  they  do  not  overlook  the  Plains  of  Moab,  and  the 
outlook  from  their  tops  is  too  circumscribed. 

The  Pisgah  we  contend  for  meets  all  these  conditions ;  the 
scriptural  topography  harmonizing  exactly  with  the  actual 
facts.  We  have  here  the  ISTebo  range,  with  "the  high  places 
of  Baal  " — the  mountain  with  two  summits  facing  Jericho,  with 
the  springs  gushing  from  beneath  it ;  Beth-peor  on  the  east, 
with  Wady  Musa  sloping  gently  down  to  the  plain ;  and  on 
the  top,  traces  of  a  cultivated  field,  from  which  can  be  had  the 
most  extensive  view  in  all  the  land.  This  site  agrees  with  both 
Jerome  and  Eusebius,  who  locate  Pisgah  "  six  miles  to  the  west 
of  Ileshbon  " — the  exact  distance  by  the  old  road ;  and  also 
with  Drs.  Strong  and  Ridgaway,  with  whom  the  writer  first 
visited  this  mountain ;  and  in  all  essentials,  with  Prof.  Paine, 
who,  however,  contends  for  the  more  westerly  peak. 

In  examining  this  locality,  much  to  our  surprise  we  found, 
•on  a  second  projection  of  Nebo,  about  half  a  mile  west  of  Pis- 
gah, extensive  ruins  of  a  city  not  marked  on  any  map.  In  some 
places  the  walls  were  standing  twenty  feet  liigh ;  many  prostrate 
columns  were  lying  about,  as  if  thrdwn  down  by  an  earthquake ; 
we  also  found  large  cisterns,  rock-hewn  tombs,  and  massive 
foundations  as  of  a  strongly  fortified  place,  in  all  probabihty 
the  remains  of  the  city  of  Nebo.  The  ruins  indicated  a  remote 
antiquity,  as  there  was  no  trace  of  Grecian  or  Roman  archi- 
tecture among  them.  Nebo  is  mentioned  among  the  cities 
rebuilt  by  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  and  was  built,  doubtless,  on 
this  second  knoll  for  defensive  purposes.  Eusebius  refers 
to  it,  and  locates  it  in  this  neighborhood.  Isaiah  classifies 
it  with  Ileshbon,  Dibon,  and  Baal-Meon,  all  in  this  vicinity ; 
and  Jeremiah,  in  denouncing  the  judgments  of  God  upon 
Moab,  exclaims,  ""Woe  unto  Nebo,  for  it  is  spoiled — ^judg 


348  BIBLE   LANDS. 

ment  is  come  upon  Dibon  and  Nebo — Moab  shall  howl  over 
Ncbo." 

"We  also  found  the  track  of  an  old  paved  road  in  good  })  res- 
ervation, with  the  side  walls  standing,  leading  from  this  city 
in  the  direction  of  Aroer,  which  undoubtedly  is  the  "King's 
IIiGnwAT,"  by  whicli  the  Israelites  entered  Canaan!  From 
the  M:>saic  record  it  appears  they  came  by  this  highway  to  the 
"top  of  Pisgah,"  pitching  their  tents  "in  the  mountains  of 
Abarim,  before  Nebo,"  '  that  is,  in  the  valley  or  table-land, "  over 
against  Beth-peor." '  The  discovery  of  this  city  and  road  we 
consider,  apart  from  the  interest  they  possess,  an  additional  ar- 
gument in  support  of  the  identity  of  Pisgah,  establisliing  beyond 
controversy  its  site,  leaving  no  longer  a  doubt  as  to  tlie  verity  of 
the  spot  where  "  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,"  closed  hi& 
eyes  on  earth.* 

The  view  from  the  top  of  this  mountain  is  subhmely  grand. 
Nothing  on  earth  can  equal  it  in  sacred  and  historic  interest.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  rapture  of  that  vision.  At  our  feet  tlie- 
Sea  of  Death  rolled  its  sullen  waves  over  the  once  fertile  Plain 
of  Siddim.  To  the  north,  the  winding  course  of  the  Jordan 
could  be  traced  to  its  fountain  head,  with  Ilermon,  standing  like 
an  old  sentinel  with  frosty  locks,  guarding  the  source  of  "  the 
river  of  God."  To  the  west,  the  mountains  of  Western  Palestine, 
dotted  with  cities  and  villages,  were  spread  out  Hke  a  panorama 
before  us.  Far  away  to  the  south  was  Mount  Ilor,  throwing 
her  misty  veil  over  the  grave  of  Aaron  on  its  highest  summit. 
Far  away  to  the  north,  "  goodly  Lebanon,"  still  clothed  in  her 
wintry  robes.  On  our  left,  Hebron  loomed  up  in  the  distance, 
as  if  proud  of  her  sacred  charge — the  tomb  of  the  patriarchs. 
On  our  right,  tinged  with  a  bluish  haze,  were  the  Galilean  hills^ 

» Numbers  xxxiii,  47.         '  Deuteronomy  iii,  29.         *  Deuteronomy  xxxiv,  5. 


OUTLOOK   FROM    PISGAH.  349 

with  Nazareth  nesthng  on  their  bosom.  Directly  in  front  of  us 
was  the  "  city  of  pahn-trees  ;' '  and  just  back  of  it,  tlie  mountain 
of  Christ's  temptation,  and  the  brook  Cherith,  where  Elijah  was 
fed  by  the  ravens ;  and  beyond,  Ilerodium,  the  mausoleum  of 
that  monster — Ilerod  the  Great.  And  still  beyond,  near  the 
summit  of  the  Judcan  mountains,  Bethlehem,  to  the  Christian 
the  most  sacred  spot  on  earth ;  and  a  little  to  the  north,  Jeru- 
salem, so  beautiful  for  situation,  and  hallowed  in  its  associations ; 
and  close  by.  Olivet,  beaming  in  the  sunlight  like  the  gate-way 
to  glory ;  and  just  bcj'ond,  Keby  Samwel,  where  Israel's  last 
judge  lived,  died,  and  awaits  the  resurrection.  Still  farther 
north  could  be  seen  Gerizim  and  Ebal,  overlooking  the  well  of 
Jacob  and  the  tomb  of  Joseph  ;  and  beyond,  Carmel,  stretching 
away  to  the  "  utmost  sea,"  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  Then  came 
the  depression  of  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon,  guarded  by  Tabor  and 
Gilboa;  scenes  of  some  of  the  most  stiiTing  events  in  sacred 
history.  The  Mount  of  Beatitudes  was  only  partly  seen,  >)n.t 
east  of  the  Jordan,  Mizpah-Gilcad,  where  Jacob  and  Laban  last 
parted,  was  in  full  view,  with  the  tomb  of  Ilosca  on  its  summit. 
And  eastward,  as  far  as  the  Ilauran  and  Mountains  of  Arabia, 
rolled  the  Belka,  the  beautiful  Belka — one  vast  fertile  plain, 
fragrant  with  flowers,  and  covered  with  the  flocks,  herds,  and 
black  tents  of  the  Bedouins,  who  now  roam  at  will  over  the 
ruins  of  those  giant  cities  that  mark  the  march  of  civilization, 
and  clearly  indicate  that 

♦'Westward  the  Star  of  Empire  takes  its  way." 

Words,  however,  can  never  describe  the  grand  outlook  from 
this  lofty  eminence.  Only  such  as  have  enjoyed  the  prospect 
can  fuUy  appreciate  it. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


LAND      OF      GILEAD. 


Mount  Gilead— Name  Applied  to  all  Eastern  ralcstinc— riorne  of  Elijah— Jepnthah- 
—Ramoth-Gilead— Remarkable  Ruins— Arak  el  Emir— Jerash— Pella— Ga- 
dara — Balm  of  Gilead. 

THE  monntainoiis  district  lying  north  of  Moab,  and  extend- 
ing along  the  Jordan  Hke  a  massive  wall  from  its  mouth  to 
the  lower  spurs  of  Ilermon,  was  known  as  Gilead,  deriving  its 
name  from  Mount  Gilead,'  or  Mizpah  Galeed,  where  Jacob  and 
Laban  had  their  last  interview,  and  set  up  their  memorial  stones 
as  a  witness  between  them.  This  country  was  early  conquered 
and  absorbed  by  Sihon,  king  of  the  Amoritcs,  and  Og,  king 
of  Bashan.*  It  afterward  belonged  to  Gad,  and  though  the 
name  survived,  and  sometimes  applied  to  the  whole  of  Eastern 
Palestine,'  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  became  extinct. 

The  Adwan  tribe  of  Bedouins,  of  which  Ali  Diab  is  sheik, 
now  hold  the  country,  and  have  generally  been  friendly  to 
Americans.  "We  have  visited  their  camp  frequently,  and  al- 
ways received  a  hearty  welcome.  The  sheik's  tent  can  be 
easily  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  the  number  of  lances- 
stuck  in  the  ground  around  it,  with  shafts  from  twelve  to  four- 
teen feet  long,  and  often  ornamented  with  tufts  of  black  or 
white  ostrich  feathers  near  the  blade.  These  plumes  are  their 
battle-flags,  and  the  warriors  who  carry  the  black  feathers  on 
their  spears  are  the  invinciblcs,  who  never  retreat,  surrender, 
or  show  mercy ;  but  those  with  white  plumes  will  both  grant 

>  Genesis  xxxi,  25-49.         »  Joshua  xii,  1-5.         »  Deuteronomy  iii,  12. 
c50 


BEDOUIX    HOSPITALITY. 


351 


favors  and  ask  for  quarters.  Hence  the  familiar  saying,  "  Show 
the  white  feather."  Their  entertainments  are  usually  given  in 
the  sheik's  tent,  Avithout  any  great  disj^lay  or  ceremony,  the 
guests  sitting  on  mats  or  rugs  spread  on  the  ground,  and  all  eat- 
ing out  of  the  same  large  dish.     Such  articles  as  knives,  forks^ 


ALI   DIAB,   SHEIK   OF  THE  ADWANS. 


spoons,  and  plates,  are  unknown  among  them.  If  you  are  a  per- 
son of  distinction,  and  the  sheik  desires  to  show  you  great  re- 
spect, he  will  seat  you  on  his  left,  then  dip  his  hand  into  the 
mess  of  pottage  first,  and,  taking  out  a  piece  of  the  kid  or 


352 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


handful  of  leutiles,  tlirust  it  into  your  mouth,  ahnost  choking 
you ;  but  woe  betide  the  guest  who  refuses  ihis  special  mark  of 
attention.  All  visitors  are  required  to  conform  to  these  usages. 
As  "  when  in  Eome  we  do  as  the  Komans  do,"  so,  on  the  same 
principle,  when  in  Turkey  we  must  do  as  the  Turkeys  do,  that 
is,  gobble  every  thing  down.  After  the  repast  the  dogs  lick  the 
platter,  when  it  is  set  aside  all  ready  for  the  next  meal,  no 
washing  of  dishes  being  required.  Liberal  backsheesh  is  gen- 
erally expected  in  return  for  their  hospitality. 


ARABS   EATING. 


Among  so  many  mountains  it  is  difficult  at  this  late  date  to 
determine  the  particular  eminence  where  Laban  overtook  Jacob, 
and  that  gaf\^e  its  name  to  this  whole  province.  It,  however,  is 
generally  conceded  to  Jebel  Jil'ad,  the  Arabic  of  Mount  Gilead, 
a  peak  that  rises  to  the  height  of  four  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  sixty  feet  above  the  sea,  and  not  only  retains  the  name,  but 
meets  all  the  conditions,  of  the  text.  This  mountain  is  also 
Iniown  as  Jebel  Osha,  from  the  reputed  tomb  of  the  Prophet 
Hosea  being  on  its  summit ;  and  is  supposed  to  be  Mizpah-Gil- 
ead,  where  Jephthah  made  the  rash  vow  which  cost  the  hfe  of 


MOUNT   GILEAD.  353 

his  only  child,  whose  untimely  death  the  maidens  oi  the  land 
still  lament,  by  the  annual  observance  of  a  day  of  mourning  on 
this  lofty  mountain.  David,  when  driven  from  his  kingdom 
by  the  wrathful  Saul,  found  here  an  asylum  for  himself  and 
parents.  Elijah  was  a  native  of  Gilead,  and  from  the  plain 
below,  near  the  Jordan,  mounted  the  heavens  in  his  chariot  of 
fire.  As  we  rode  over  the  same  plain,  a  whirlwind  swept  across 
our  path,  and  we  could  almost  fancy  we  saw  the  fiery  prophet 
ascend  the  skies. 

Sweeping  round  the  base  of  this  mountain  on  the  north  is 
the  river  Jabbok  and  the  ford  where  Jacob  spent  the  night 
he  prevailed  with  God  ;  and  only  half  an  hour's  ride  from  here 
is  Eamoth  Gilead,  so  celebrated  in  Jewish  history  as  one  of  the 
cities  of  refuge,  where  Ahab  received  his  mortal  wound,  and 
the  impetuous  Jehu  was  anointed  king  of  Israel. 

The  view  from  this  eminence  is  magnificent ;  in  some  respects 
even  finer  than  from  Nebo,  taking  in  the  entire  Jordan  Yalley 
and  all  Western  Palestine  from  Lebanon  on  the  north  to  the 
Dead  Sea  on  the  south.  This  was  the  landscape  on  which 
Abraham  first  gazed  as  he  journeyed  over  this  same  mountain 
on  his  way  to  the  Promised  Land.  Some  have  contended  that 
this  Mount  is  the  Pisgah  of  Moses,  but  no  one  who  has  ever 
visited  the  two  mountains  will  entertain  such  an  idea  for  a 
moment.  Except  in  the  extensive  outlook,  Jebel  Jil'ad  does 
not  fulfill  a  single  condition  of  the  true  Pisgah ;  then,  it  is  at 
least  twenty  miles  too  far  north.  On  the  summit  of  this 
mountain  the  naked  rock  crops  out,  forming  a  natural  watch- 
tower  from  which  a  beacon  light  could  be  seen  half  over 
Palestine.  Excavated  in  this  rock  are  some  curious  tombs  and 
cisterns,  with  steps  leading  down  to  them,  and  under  the  ledge 
that  projects  toward  the  west  three  large  caves,  forty  feet 


354  BIBLE   LANDS. 

square,  one  with  seats  cut  in  the  rock  round  three  sides,  with  a 
recess  facing  the  entrance,  as  if  designed  for  a  place  of  worship 
or  council  chamber.  As  we  entered  one  of  these  caves  the 
largest  eagle  I  ever  saw  flew  out,  an  auspicious  omen,  the 
Arabs  say.  This  was  Israel's  great  rendezvous.  Here  they 
held  their  councils  of  war,  and  probably  in  these  caverns 
Jephthah  and  his  desperadoes  laid  their  plans  for  the  recon- 
quest  of  the  country  from  the  Amorites. 

This  whole  land  at  one  time  must  have  been  thickly  pop- 
ulated and  highly  civilized.  Every  few  miles  you  come  upon 
the  remains  of  cities,  some  of  them  dating  back  to  the  days  of 
the  Rephaim.  The  great  number  of  these  ruins  prove  a  dense 
population ;  and  the  magnitude  and  elegance  of  their  works, 
their  numerous  reservoirs  and  aqueducts,  their  well-paved 
roads  and  rock-hewn  tombs,  their  wine  and  oil  presses,  and 
the  inscriptions  in  some  instances  found  upon  their  monuments, 
evince  a  high  degree  of  civilization. 

The  Castle  of  Hyrcanus,  about  fifteen  miles  south  of  Mount 
Gilead,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  ruins  in  Persea.  It  was 
built  by  Hyrcanus  I.,  an  Asmonean  prince,  one  hundred  and 
ninety  years  before  Christ,  on  a  terrace  of  the  mountain  twenty- 
five  hundred  feet  above  the  Jordan,  a  secure  position,  near  the 
source  of  a  mountain  stream,  abounding  with  fish,  ajid  shaded 
with  large  trees.  On  a  knoll  in  the  center  of  this  beautiful 
plateau,  surrounded  by  a  strong  wall  and  deep  fosse,  stood  the 
castle  or  fortress.  The  only  entrance  to  it  was  by  a  massive 
gate-way  of  large  beveled  stones,  well  dressed,  with  a  beading 
running  up  the  angles.  The  frieze  of  this  portal  was  an  enor- 
mous stone,  in  the  Ionic  style,  and  very  beautiful.  There  was 
a  colonnade  in  front  of  the  castle  composed  of  plain  and  fluted 
columns  with  Tonic  and  Egyptian  capitals — rather  a  strange 


CASTLE    OF   HYRCANUS. 


355 


medley.  The  building  itseK  was  constructed  of  great  stone 
slabs,  liard  as  marble,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  long,  by  ten 
feet  wide  and  two  feet  thick,  just  the  thickness  of  the  wall. 
These  slabs  stood  on  their  edge,  and  were  held  together  by 
knobs  about  eight  inches  square,  cut  on  the  upper  edge  of  the 
lower  stones  and  fitting  snugly  in  corresponding  sockets  in  the 


CASTLE    OF  HYRCANUS. 


next  course  above,  and  so  on  to  the  topmost  course.  Ko  mor- 
tar or  iron  clamps  were  used.  Above  the  second  course, 
or  twenty  feet  from  the  foundation,  ran  a  Doric  belt-course, 
highly  ornamented,  and  above  this  a  frieze  twelve  feet  high, 
formed  of  colossal  sculptured  slabs,  with  enormous  lions  in  alto 


356 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


relievo  /  and  above  this,  still  another  entablature  and  frieze  in 
the  Ionic  style.  Most  of  this  once  beautiful  edifice  is  now  in 
ruins — fragments  of  broken  columns  and  cornices  strew  the 
irround ;  but  the  foundations  and  several  courses  of  the  Avails, 
and  a  few  of  the  sculptured  slabs,  are  yet  in  situ,  having 
resisted  tlie  storms  and  earthquakes  of  more  than  two  thousand 
years.  The  account  of  this  palace,  as  given  by  Josephus,'  is 
very  correct,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred  for  details. 


AEAK    EL    EMIR. 


Ten  minutes'' walk  from  the  castle  is  Arak  el  Emir,  the  rock 
dwelling  and  stables  of  the  prince,  a  perfect  labyrinth  of  dark 
passages  and  haunted  cells.  The  road  from  the  fortress  to  this 
rock  castle  is  clearly  defined  by  two  rows  of  squared  perforated 
stones,  standing  a  few  feet  apart,  as  if  for  some  kind  of  a  signal 

1  Antiquities,  xii,  4. 


ROCK-HEWN"    T03IBS.  357 

or  railing.  This  unique  castle  consists  of  numerous  halls, 
chambers,  and  stables  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  and  rising  tier 
above  tier  in  the  lace  of  a  bold  cliff,  almost  inaccessible. 

The  first  hall  jou  enter  is  a  large  square  room  with  vaulted 
ceiling  and  cornice,  perhaps  a  council  chamber  or  banqueting 
hall.  On  the  right  of  the  entrance  is  a  mutilated  inscription  in 
old  Samaritan  characters.  Still  higher  up  we  reach  bj  a  very 
steep  and  difficult  path  a  narrow  passage  or  rent  in  the  rock, 
which  leads  to  a  long  range  of  cells  for  all  purposes — some  for 
feasting  and  sleeping;  others  for  attendants  and  guards;  in 
some  instances  several  cells  communicating.  One  apartment 
designed  for  a  stable,  was  large  enough  for  at  least  a  hun- 
dred horses;  the  feeding  and  watering  troughs,  and  holes  for 
fastening  the  halters,  all  hewn  out  of  the  native  rock. 

The  approach  to  all  these  caves  is  difficult,  and  to  some  danger- 
ous, it  being  necessary  in  places  to  creep  along  a  narrow  ledge  on 
your  hands  and  feet.  The  doorways  generally  are  so  small  that 
not  more  than  one  person  can  enter  at  a  time.  The  only  en- 
trance to  one  suite  of  apartments  was  by  a  small  hole  through 
the  floor  of  the  cell  above,  concealed  by  a  stone  slab,  rendering 
it  impossible  for  an  enemy  to  force  an  entrance,  as  the  trap- 
door would  only  admit  one  man  at  a  time,  and  he  would  have 
to  drop  himself  from  the  ceiling  to  the  floor,  at  least  fifteen 
feet,  on  barbed  pikes.  There  is  a  deep  cistern  connected  with 
these  apartments,  and  in  all  probability  it  was  here  that  Ilyr- 
canus  ended  his  unhappy  life.  When  he  built  this  strong- 
hold and  cut  out  these  numerous  hiding-places  in  the  cliffs  of 
the  mountain,  he  fancied  himself  secure ;  but  being  naturally 
timid  and  suspicious  was  kept  by  his  enemies  in  a  constant 
state  of  alarm,  and  after  seven  miserable  years,  committed 
suicide  in  one  of  these  cells,  when  Antiochus  Epiphanes  laid 


358  BIBLE    LANDS. 

siege  to  the  castle  and  fortress.  One  feels  very  sad  wandering 
tlirougli  these  dark  passages  and  tomb-hke  cells,  once  the  seat 
of  royalty,  now  the  habitation  of  wild  beasts  and  the  wilder 
cliildren  of  the  desert.  Alexander,  who  built  the  fortress  of 
Machserus,  was  the  son  of  this  Hyrcanus. 

Crossing  the  Jabbok  at  Jacob's  ford,  we  began  the  ascent  of 
the  Mountains  of  Ajlun,  covered  with  forests  of  oak,  fir,  and 
terebinth.    It  was  somewhere  in  these  forests  that  the  rebellious 


t^ 


^-c,tx 


Absalom  came  to  his  ignoble  death.  The  stiff,  shaggy  branches 
of  the  oak  hang  very  low,  and  unless  a  person  is  careful  he  is 
likely  to  meet  with  the  same  mishap  that  befell  this  young 
man.  Eiding  carelessly  under  one  of  these  trees  I  was  caught 
by  the  low  boughs  round  the  neck,  and  would  have  been  lifted 
from  the  saddle  and  left  dangling  in  the  air  had  my  horse  not 
suddenly  stopped. 

Two  hours  of  climbing  over  hills  and  rocks,  through  jungle& 


JERASH.  361 

and  park-like  forests,  brought  us  to  an  open  country  of  low, 
rounded  ridges  and  verdant  valleys,  running  north  and  south, 
and  covered  with  the  remains  of  a  once  magnificent  city  known 
among  the  natives  as  Gerasa  or  Jerash.  In  some  respects,  these 
ruins  are  more  imposing  and  extensive  than  any  others  in 
Syria ;  not  so  colossal  as  those  at  Baalbec,  but  equally  classical 
and  more  vast.  It  appears  to  have  been  a  city  of  palaces,  tem- 
ples, and  other  pubhc  edifices ;  and  one  is  perplexed  to  know 
where  the  people  came  from  to  fill  these  theaters  and  numer- 
ous temples. 

Though  most  of  the  city  is  a  heap  of  ruins,  much  of  its 
ancient  grandeur  remaias.  Colonnades  fully  a  mile  i?  length, 
crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  may  still  be  traced.  Tri- 
umphal arches  of  rich  design,  spanning  the  streets  at  different 
points,  may  still  be  seen.  One  of  several  bridges  over  the  val- 
ley and  stream  which  ran  through  the  midst  of  the  city,  may 
stiU  be  crossed.  Grand  gate-ways,  towers,  theaters,  baths,  and 
other  public  buildings,  some  almost  entire,  are  still  standing. 
Of  the  Forum  alone,  fifty-seven  columns,  with  their  entabla- 
ture, remain  erect,  and  throughout  the  city  not  less  than  five 
times  that  number  are  still  i/n  situ,  with  thousands  of  others 
lying  prostrate  and  broken  at  their  base.  The  Temple  of  the 
Sun,  of  which  only  eleven  columns  of  the  portico  remain,  must 
have  been  a  gem  of  Grecian  art.  Many  inscriptions  may  still 
be  seen  on  pedestal,  column,  and  architrave,  but  nothing  earlier 
than  the  Greek  and  Roman  period,  though  there  is  every  rea- 
son for  believing  that  this  city  existed  long  before  that  period. 
The  first  mention  made  of  Jerash  in  history  is  by  Josephus, 
who  gives  an  account  of  the  taking  of  the  place  by  Alexander 
Janneus,  B.  C.  85,*  showing  that  it  must  have  existed  prior  to 

1  Jewish  Wars,  i,  4,  8. 


362  BIBLE   LANDS. 

that  date.  And  from  the  fact  that  Mahanaim,  where  Jacob 
met  the  angels,'  about  this  time  mysteriously  disappears  from 
history,  and  Jerash  as  suddenly  springs  into  notice,  this  city 
is  now  generally  believed  to  be  the  place  where  the  Lord  ap- 
peared to  Jacob,  and  to  which  David  fled  for  protection  from 
Absalom,  and  mourned  so  piteously  over  his  son's  death.  It  is 
also  supposed  that  the  beautiful  Twenty-third  Psalm  was  written 
here.'  The  valley  of  the  Jabbok,  through  wliich  David  must 
have  fled,  with  his  enemies  lurking  behind  every  rock,  would 
represent  forcibly  "  the  Yalley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,"  and 
the  shepherds  watching  their  flocks  would  naturally  suggest  the 
Lord's  constant  care  for  his  people.  JSfot  a  soul  is  now  living 
on  the  site  of  this  once  opulent  city.  The  place  is  entirely 
deserted.  With  some  difficulty  we  clambered  up  into  the  room 
over  the  southern  gate — a  very  antique  and  curious  rain,  with 
foliage  round  the  bases  of  the  columns — where  it  is  supposed 
David  received  the  first  news  of  his  son's  death;  and  when 
there,  we  could  ahnost  fancy  we  heard  that  stricken  father 
exclaiming  in  all  the  anguish  of  his  sonl,  "  O  my  son  Absalom, 
my  son,  my  son  Absalom  !  would  God  I  had  died  for  thee,  O 
Absalom,  my  son,  my  son !  " ' 

Twenty  miles  north-west  of  Jerash,  on  a  terrace  of  the 
mountain  overlooking,  and  about  a  thousand  feet  above,  the 
Jordan  Valley,  a  few  standing  columns  near  the  foundations  of 
some  old  buildings,  and  some  rock-hewn  tombs  in  the  side  of 
the  mountain  near  the  remains  of  a  temple  or  church,  mark 
the  site  of  ancient  Pella,  wliich  possesses  no  interest  to  the 
general  reader  except  as  the  city  of  refuge  for  the  Chi-istians 
during  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus. 

1  Genetis  xxxii,  1.  '  See  Sermon  by  Rev.  Stopford  Brooke. 

3  2  Samuel  sviii,  38. 


GADARA. 


363 


Gadara,  the  most  northern  city  of  Gilead,  was  situated  on  a 
north-western  spur  of  the  mountains  just  south  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  where  the  river  Hieromax  emjDties  into  the  Jordan,  and 
on  the  highway  between  Jerusalem  and  Damascus,  along  which 
the  Israehtes  probably  traveled  when  taken  captives  to  Baby- 
lon. As  at  Jerash,  a  colonnade  street  ran  through  the  city,  tlie 
columns  of  which  are  all  lying  among  the  ml)bish  of  ages,  ])nt 


the  paved  road-bed,  with  the  ruts  worn  by  chariot  wheels,  may 
still  be  distinctly  seen.  The  remains  of  extensive  fortifications, 
two  theaters,  and  what  appears  to  have  been  the  Forum,  are  easily 
traced  out ;  also  the  ruins  of  the  Cathedral  of  Gadara.  North- 
east of  the  city  are  many  rock-cut  tombs  similar  to  those  about 
Jerusalem,  some  quite  large,  with  stone  doors  still  swinging  on 


364  BIBLE    LANDS. 

their  stone  hinges.  We  found  several  of  these  tombs  occupied 
by  a  low,  desperate  class  of  natives,  recalling  the  visit  of  Christ 
to  this  neighborhood,  and  the  healing  of  the  demoniac  who 
came  out  of  the  tombs,  and  met  Jesus  as  he  landed  from  the 
ship.'  This  miracle,  it  will  be  observed,  was  not  wrought  at 
Gadara,  but  "  in  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes,"  of  which  Gad- 
ara  was  the  capital,  or,  according  to  Strabo,  "  in  the  territory 
of  Gadara,"  which  extended  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 

This  was  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Decapolis,  and  at  one  time 
the  capital  of  Persea.  It  was  first  taken  by  Antiochus  the 
Great  B.  C.  218,  afterward  rebuilt  by  Pompey,  and  again 
captured  and  destroyed  by  Yespasian,  and  all  its  inhabitants 
put  to  the  sword.  Again  it  was  rebuilt,  and  became  the  seat 
of  an  episcopal  see,  but  never  recovered  from  its  conquest  by 
the  Mohammedans ;  and  all  that  remains  of  this  once  opulent 
city  is  a  confused  heap  of  ruins. 

The  old  stone  bridge  over  the  Jordan,  and  the  only  one  over 
that  river  now  passable,  and  the  same  very  likely  by  which 
Saul  crossed  on  his  way  to  Damascus,  is  a  little  south-west  of 
this  and  in  tolerable  preservation. 

Among  the  rare  plants  indigenous  to  this  country  is  the  cele- 
brated shrub  or  tree  from  which  the  balm  of  Gilead  was  ex- 
tracted, once  the  great  specific  for  all  diseases  peculiar  to  the 
East.  It  is  an  aromatic  tree  with  long  slender  twigs  thickly 
covered  with  sharp  thorns,  still  found  growing  about  Jericho, 
and  along  the  Jordan  in  Gilead,  commonly  known  as  the 
Arabian  ISTubk,  or  Sjoina  Christa,  and  is  probably  the  tree 
from  which  the  Saviour's  crown  of  thorns  was  woven.  And 
may  not  Jeremiah  have  referred  to  the  crowning  of  our  Lord 
with  thorns,  and  to  the  blood  which  flowed  from  the  peerless 

'  Mark  v.  1-21. 


BALM    OF    GILEAD. 


365 


brow  of  Christ,  when  he,  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  inquired, 
"  Is  there  no  bahn  in  Gilead  i  "  ' 

This  most  precious  gum  was  generally  obtained  by  makino- 
an  incision  in  the  bark  of  the  shrub ;  it  also  oozed  from  the 
leaves,  and  hung  in  drops  like  honey  from  the  branches.  The 
tree,  which  originally  was  only  found  in  Palestine,  was  trans- 
planted to  Egypt  by  Cleopatra,  to  whom  the  groves  near  Jeri- 
cho were  presented  by  Marc  Antony.  The  plant  was  after- 
ward taken  to  Arabia  and  grown  in  the  vicinity  of  Mecca, 
whence  the  balsam  is  now  brought  to  Europe  and  America,  not 
as  balm  from  Gilead,  but  l)alsam  from  Mecca. 

The  gardens  around  Helioj^olis  and  the  Fountain  of  the  Sun, 
in  Eg}^t,  no  longer  produce  this  rare  specilic  for  suffering  mor- 
tals, and  it  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  an  article  of  export  from 
Gilead ;  but  the  more  precious  balm  it  typified  is  still  offered 
*'  without  money  and  w^ithout  price  "  to  a  dying  world. 

^  Jeremiah  viii,  22. 


W'fr-i  r^^ 


CHAPTER  V. 


STONE   CITIES    OF    BASHAN. 


Giant  Tribes  of  Men— Land  of  the  Giants— Present  Population— Patriarchal  Uhar- 
acter — Deserted  Cities — Adraha — Bozrah — Salcah. 

THESE  are  the  ruins  described  by  Mr.  Porter  as  the  Giant 
Cities  of  Bashan ;  but  whether  there  ever  was  a  race  of 
men  much  larger  than  the  present  remains  to  be  proven.  At 
a  very  early  period,  when  the  mode  of  living  was  more  simple, 
and  the  habits  of  the  people  more  hardy,  certain  tribes,  under 
favorable  circumstances,  may  have  attained  an  unusual  height 
and  extraordinary  strength  ;  still,  from  the  statements  of  the 
most  ancient  historians,  from  the  human  remains  found  in  the 
oldest  tombs,  and  from  the  dimensions  of  their  dwellings  and 
the  size  of  their  armor,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  early  in- 
habitants of  the  world  differed  materially  from  the  present  race. 
True,  the  Bible  makes  mention  of  the  fact,  that  "  there  were 
giants  in  the  earth  in  those  days  ; "  '  but  we  are  only  to  under- 
stand from  this  that  they  were  wicked,  ferocious  men  ;  men  of 
violence  and  blood ;  men  of  strong  animal  passions,  who  op- 
pressed and  plundered  the  weak  and  defenseless.  The  Hebrew 
word  nephilim,  which  is  rendered  giant,  literally  signifies 
earth-born  or  fallen,  men  of  depravity,  strong,  bull-necked,  mus- 
cular men,  of  which  "  the  earth  was  full  "  after  the  fall ;  but  it 
nowhere  represents  them  of  great  size,  such  as  the  term  giant 
in  modern  parlance  implies. 

The  Rephaims,  or  first  settlers  of  Bashan,  appear  to  have  been 
366  '  Geiiedis  vi,  4. 


GIA^T   RACES.  367 

of  this  character,  of  whom  Og,  their  giant  king,  only  remained 
in  the  days  of  Moses.  That  there  were  men  of  gigantic  pro- 
portions in  every  age  of  the  world  none  will  deny,  as  we  occa- 
sionally meet  with  them  in  our  own  day ;  and  it  would  seem 
that  in  pi-imitive  times,  when  araiies  fought  hand  to  hand, 
and  much  depended  on  groat  physical  strength,  these  semi- 
civilized  uations  selected  the  largest  men  for  their  leaders. 
Such  was  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  whose  iron  bedstead  was  nine 
cubits  long ; '  Saul,  first  king  of  Israel,  who  stood  head  and 
shoulders  above  his  brethren ;  Goliath  of  Gath,  whose  height 
was  "  six  cubits  and  a  span,"  nine  feet  and  a  fraction  ; "  Porus 
the  Indian  king,  who  was  five  cubits  in  height,  and  many  others 
we  might  name.  These,  however,  were  exceptions,  and  only 
prove  that  the  soldiers  composing  the  armies  they  led  to  battle 
were  no  larger  than  ordinary  men. 

The  "  land  of  Bashan  "  extended  from  the  "  border  of  Gilead" 
on  the  south,  to  Mount  Hermon  on  the  north  ;  and  from  the 
Jordan  YaUey  on  the  west  to  Salcah  on  the  east,*  including 
that  portion  of  Palestine  east  of  the  Jordan,  called  "  the  land 
of  the  giants,"  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  haK  tribe  of 
Manasseh.* 

As  the  name  signifies,  it  was  a  fat  and  fniitful  country,  a 
high  plateau  of  rich  pasture-land,  densely  populated,  and  pro- 
verbial for  its  exuberant  fertility,  ever-green  forests,  and  su- 
perior breed  of  cattle.  "  The  oaks  of  Bashan  "  are  classed  by 
the  inspired  writers  with  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.  Her  "  rams, 
lambs,  and  goats,"  are  aUuded  to  as  superior  to  all  other  fatlings,* 
and  the -'bulls  of  Bashan"  have  always  been  celebrated  for 

'  Deuteronomy  iii,  11.  »  1  Samuel  xvii,  4. 

•Deuteronomy  iii,  3-14  ;  Joshua  xii,  3-5.  *  Deuteronomy  iii,  13. 

'  Ezelviel  xxxix,  18. 


368  BIBLE   LANDS. 

their  great  strength,  and  are  supposed  to  be  the  behemoth 
mentioned  by  Job. 

This  country  is  first  noticed  in  connection  with  the  invasion 
of  Chedorlaomer  and  his  confederates,  who  "  smote  the  Eephaims 
in  Ashtaroth  Karnaim,"  *  the  royal  city  "  of  Og,  king  of  Bashan, 
who  was  of  the  remnant  of  the  giants,  that  dwelt  at  Ash- 
taroth." "  The  land  was  anciently  divided  into  three  pro  vinces : 
Gaulanitis,  on  the  west ;  Argob  or  Trachonitis,  to  the  north ; 
and  Auranitis  or  Batanaea,  on  the  east.  It  is  now  generally 
known  as  the  Hauran,  the  land  of  mountains  and  of  free- 
dom, so  called  from  Jebel  Hauran,  a  volcanic  mountain  that 
rises  from  the  great  plain  of  Moab,  six  thousand  four  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea.  When  the  Israehtes  invaded  Canaan,  they 
"  went  up  by  the  way  of  Bashan,"  probably  by  the  Haj  route 
east  of  tlie  Salt  Sea,  now  traveled  by  the  pilgrims  to  Mecca, 
and  after  conquering  the  nations  east  of  the  Jordan,  crossed 
over  into  "Western  Palestine. 

The  present  occupants  of  this  country  are  chiefly  the  wild, 
nomadic  children  of  the  desert.  Most  of  these  Bedouin  tribes 
are  lawless,  hereditary  robbers,  and  have  always  lived  by  ])lunder- 
ing  all  who  came  within  their  reach.  Time  has  neithei:  changed 
their  character  nor  improved  their  condition.  You  will  find 
them  to-day  leading  the  same  predatory  Hfe  they  did  a  thou- 
sand years  ago.  They  excuse  themselves  for  their  robberies  by 
the  treatment  received  by  their  father,  Ishmael,  who,  being 
turned  out  upon  the  world  without  patrimony,  was  allowed  to 
take  all  he  could  find,  and  collect  tribute  from  all  travelers 
passing  through  his  dominions. 

There  are,  however,  a  few  tribes  who  pride  themselves  on 
being  the  descendants  of  the  Patriarchs — are  given  to  hospi- 

■  Genesis  xiv   5.  '  Joshua  xii,  4. 


BEDOULN    IIOSriTALITY.  369 

tality,  and  really  are  very  patriarchal  in  their  manners.  They 
treat  all  travelers  as  guests,  and  often  press  you  to  accept 
their  entertainment,  and  appear  offended  if  you  decline.  Tliey 
have  coffee  and  milk  always  on  hand,  and  a  kid  or  fatted  calf 
always  ready  to  be  served,  with  provender  in  abundance  for 
your  horses  or  camels,  reminding  one  very  much  of  the  sim- 
plicity of  primitive  times. 

On  one  occasion,  as  we  approached  a  village,  the  Sheik  and 
«hief  men  of  the  tribe  came  forth  to  meet  us,  and  after  the 
usual  salutation  conducted  us  to  their  camp,  Hich  rugs  were 
eprcad  on  the  ground  where  we  were  to  sit,  and  soft  pillows 
given  us  to  recline  on,  after  which  we  were  served  with  bread, 
honey,  milk,  coffee,  and  every  other  delicacy  they  had,  the  chiefs 
joining  us  in  our  repast,  which  was  accompanied  by  singing, 
and  music  on  a  stringed  instrument  something  like  a  violin. 
They  pressed  us  earnestly  to  stay  with  them  over  niglit,  and 
when  we  declined,  the  Sheik  appeared  disappointed,  and  said, 
■*'  I  would  rather  bury  one  of  my  children  than  have  you  go." 
And  he  really  seemed  to  mean  it.  In  parting  he  gave  us  the 
■customary  blessing,  and  refused  any  gift  for  himself  or  servants. 

The  men  generally  wear  the  aba,  girdle,  and  turban,  and 
the  women  a  dress  of  blue  cotton  cloth,  with  a  white  veil  thrown 
over  the  head,  the  latter  frequently  elevated  from  twelve  to  fif- 
teen inches  above  the  head  by  a  silver  horn,  richly  chased,  which 
makes  them  look  very  tall  and  defiant.  Among  the  wealthy, 
and  on  special  occasions,  a  silk  fabric  is  worn. 

This  tantura,  or  horn,  denotes  wealth,  position,  and  power, 
and  is  interesting  as  illustrating  and  explaining  that  familiar 
expression  of  the  Psalmist,  "  My  horn  shalt  thou  exalt  like  the 
ihom  of  an  unicorn."  '     The  females  all  tattoo  their  cheeks  and 

'  Psalm  xcii,  10. 
24 


370  BIBLE    LANPS. 

chin,  tlie  back  of  tlieir  hands,  and  arms  up  to  the  elbow,  also 
the  top  of  their  feet  and  ankles.  Tlieir  fingernails  are  painted 
red  and  their  eyebrows  black,  giving  them  rather  a  hideous 
appearance. 

We  met  here  with  some  young  men  living  with  women  much 
older  than  themselves ;  and  when  we  inquired  the  cause,  were 
told  that  "  the  price  of  young  women  had  gone  up  fearfully  of 
late,  and  they  couldn't  afford  to  marry  youthful  maidens." 
One  of  our  guides  was  a  married  man,  and  when  we  expressed 
a  desire  to  see  his  wife,  he  replied,  he  had  never  yet  seen  her 
himself,  and  then  went  on  to  explain  that  he  was  poor,  and  had 
to  pay  for  her  in  labor  or  service,  and  that  she  would  remain 
with  her  father  until  he  "worked  her  out."  Among  these 
tribes  you  can  buy  a  camel,  horse,  or  piece  of  land  on  ci'cdity 
but  not  a  beautiful  woman  ;  for  all  such  articles  you  have  to 
pay  the  cash  or  its  ecpiivalent  on  delivery. 

Lashan  was  but  a  small  portion  of  trans- Jordanic  Palestine, 
and  yet  contained  sixty  "  fenced  cities,"  with  towering  walls 
and  gates  secured  with  "brazen  bars."  Out  of  over  one  hun- 
dred places  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures 'as  belonging  to  this 
region,  a  few  only  have  been  identified ;  of  most  of  them 
nothing  is  left  but  heaps  of  sha])elcss  ruins  without  either  name 
or  story.  Sometimes  a  solitary  column  will  be  found,  standing 
like  a  lone  sentinel  with  all  his  comrades  lying  at  his  feet,  guard- 
ing the  gate-way  to  some  long  deserted  city.  The  old  highways 
connecting  these  cities  may  still  be  traced  hy  the  deeply-worn 
ruts  of  chariot  wheels  in  their  solid  l)e<lp,  thouiich  no  wavfarinw 
man  has  walked  therein  for  ages  ;  and  occasionally  a  bridge  may 
be  seen  spanning  some  stream,  or  a  mile-stone  marking  the  dis- 
tance to  some  unknown  place,  but  nothing  remains  by  which, 
the  names  of  many  of  these  places  can  be  determined. 


GIANT    CITIES. 


371 


In  a  few  of  these  cities  houses  may  be  found  perfect  as  the 
day  they  were  bnih.  They  are  constructed  entirely  of  stone, 
generally  of  black  basalt  hard  as  flint.  Not  only  are  the  walls 
stone,  but  the  floors,  roofs,  doors,  even  the  window-shutters  and 


1_ 


SCARFED    STONE    WALL. 

hinges.  No  mortar  was  used  in  the  construction  of  these  build- 
ings, but  the  stones  were  scarfed,  so  as  to  bind  them  firmly  to- 
gether. In  some  instances  the  doors  are  beautifully  paneled, 
with  moldings  running  round,  and 
ornamented  with  clusters  of  fruit 
and  flowers.  Some  of  the  houses 
consist  of  several  apartments  with 
folding  doors  communicating,  each 
door  a  single  slab  of  stone.  The 
streets  are  paved  with  stone,  the 
court-yards  flagged  with  stone,  the 
gates  leading  to  them  are  stone, 
some  of  them  ten  feet  high  and 
eight  inches  thick,  with  stone  hinges, 
and  grooves  for  brazen  bolts.  In 
the  stables  all  the  stalls  and  man- 
gers are  stone,  and  from  the  charac- 
ter of  their  habitations,  one  would 
suppose  that  the  great  aim  of  the 
former  inhabitants  of  this  land  was 
to  fortify  themselves  against  their  enemies,  as  each  house  is 
a  fortification  of  itself.     The  cisterns,  baths,   and  aqueducts, 


STONE   DOOR. 


372  BIBLE    LANDS. 

whicli  supplied  thcni  arc  all  licwu  in  tlic  solid  rock,  and  in 
some  of  them  water  may  still  be  found. 

Many  of  these  cities  belong  to  the  Greek  and  Eoman  period  ; 
others,  however,  are  pre-historic,  and  cai-ry  us  back  to  the  tirst 
settlements  made  by  man  after  the  flood.  Or,  pi-ol)ably,  they 
may  owe  their  origin  to  the  Gcslmrites,  that  powci-ful  race  cf 
men  known  as  giants,  who  occupied  this  land  when  Isi'ael  came 
up  out  of  Egypt.  And  what  is  remarkable,  in  some  of  the 
oldest  buildings  materials  from  still  older  edifices  may  be  seen, 
indicating  a  remote  antiquity,  and  showing  that  portions  of 
these  structures  must  date  back  at  least  four  thousand  years. 

After  the  conquest  of  the  country  by  Alexander,  the  Grecian 
architecture  was  introduced ;  and  when  occupied  by  the  Komans, 
every  thing  was  remodeled  in  conformity  to  their  ideas ;  and 
when  Christianity  became  the  established  religion  many  old 
pagan  temples  were  converted  into  Christian  churches.  So  we 
frequently  find  ancient  temples  of  Baal,  first  dedicated  to  some 
Greek  or  Horaan  deity,  and  afterward  consecrated  to  the  wor- 
slu'p  of  Christ.  Some  of  the  inscriptions  on  these  temples  are 
very  curious,  as  showing  the  religious  changes  that  have  taken 
place  during  the  last  two  thousand  years.  One  feels  very  sol- 
emn standing  in  these  ruined  churches,  amid  these  deserted 
cities,  gazing  upon  the  broken  columns  an  i  tottering  walls  of 
grand  edifices  that  once  resounded  with  the  high  praises  of  Je- 
hovah, but  are  now  withoiit  a  single  worshiper — all  silent  as  the 
grave.  Nothing  could  be  more  clear  than  the  fulfillment  of 
prophecy,  in  the  utter  overthrow  and  desolation  of  these  once 
famous  cities. 

The  nations  which  anciently  held  this  country  having  either 
been  killed  in  battle  or  carried  away  captives  to  other  lands, 
their  cities  were  not  destroyed — only  deserted — and  their  houses, 


FIRST    EXPLORERS    OF    TiASIIAN.  373 

being  constructed  of  stone,  are  still  in  good  preservation.  The 
present  Arab  population  have  always  lived  in  tents;  and  from 
superstitious  notions  avoid  these  cities  under  the  impression 
that  they  are  haunted,  or  inhabited  by  evil  spirits,  so  that  many 
of  these  places  are  without  an  inhabitant.  Often,  in  a  day's  ride, 
you  will  pass  the  ruins  of  half-a-dozen  nameless  deserted  cities, 
built  by  an  unknown  people,  or  a  people  long  since  forgotten. 
Yet  we  know  they  were  of  our  race,  possessed  of  human  feel- 
ings and  alfections,  and  in  every  other  respect  very  much  like 
ourselves;  and  after  the  lapse  of  ages,  from  their  dwellings  we 
can  see  how  they  lived ;  from  their  temples,  how  they  wor- 
shiped ;  from  their  theaters,  how  they  anmsed  themselves  ;  and 
from  their  tombs,  how  they  died  and  were  buried ;  but  as  to 
their  history,  we  know  nothing  more.  A  striking  fultillment 
of  the  prophecy,  "  The  cities  thereof  shall  be  desolate,  without 
any  to  dwell  therein."  ' 

The  first  European  to  visit  this  unexplored  region  was  Burck- 
hardt,  in  1814.  Since  then,  a  few  other  travelers  have  passed 
hastily  through  it,  among  them  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Porter,  who,  in 
his  "Giant  Cities  of  Bashan,"  has  furnished  us  with  much  valu- 
able information  touching  this  country.  Still  later,  the  Ameri- 
can Palestine  Exploration  Society  sent  out  two  exploring  par- 
ties, but  owing  to  the  lack  of  funds  and  the  unsettled  condition 
of  the  land  they  failed  in  accomplishing  their  work. 

To  describe  at  length  these  remarkable  remains  of  a  former 
civilization,  so  replete  with  interest  to  science  and  religion,  would 
require  us  to  go  beyond  the  limits  of  this  volume.  We  shall, 
therefore,  only  give  a  brief  sketch  of  some  of  the  most  interest- 
ing ruins  visited  in  our  late  trip  through  the  Hauran. 

Leaving  Gadara  when  the  sun,  as  the  Arabs  express  it,  was 

'  Jeremiah  xlviii,  9. 


^7-i  BIBLE    LANDS. 

about  "six  lances  high,"  we  continued  up  the  valley  of  tlic 
Ilicromax,  or  Yarmiik,  and  over  Jcbel  Ajlun,  by  tlie  old  cities 
of  Abila  and  Capitolias,  to  Adralia,  supposed  by  some  to  be 
Edrei,  the  ancient  capital  of  Bashan.  There  is  nothing  here, 
however,  to  indicate  royalty,  or  that  it  was  ever  a  place  of  great 
fitrength.  The  city  is  literally  buried  beneath  the  filth  of  ages. 
Tlie  only  ruin  of  any  extent  is  an  old  Christian  church,  open- 
ing on  a  court  surrounded  by  cloisters,  in  one  of  which  we 
found  an  empty  basaltic  sarcopliagus,  ornamented  with  hons' 
heads.  It  is  said  there  is  a  subterranean  city  beneath  tlie  more 
modern,  and  we  lool<cd  long  for  it,  and  inrpiired  diligently  of 
the  natives,  but  could  learn  nothing.  As  the  place  is  entirely 
destitute  of  living  water,  the  probability  is,  the  numerous  cis- 
terns below  gave  rise  to  the  report ;  and  during  a  state  of  siege, 
the  citizens  would  very  naturally  take  refuge  in  these  cisterns, 
which  would  explain  the  statement  that  when  the  Romans  oc- 
cupied the  place,  and  attempted  to  dra^v  water,  "  their  buckets 
were  always  cut  from  the  ropes  by  some  malignant  spirit." 

From  Adraha  to  Bozrah  we  followed  the  old  Eoman  road, 
crossing  the  Zeidy  on  an  ancient  stone  bridge,  and  traveling 
most  of  the  distance  through  one  continuous  grain-Held.  We 
were  ten  hours  making  the  journey,  and  it  was  after  night  be- 
fore we  reached  our  tents,  which  were  pitched  near  the  spring 
a  little  north-west  of  the  city.  It  being  quite  dark,  and  we 
compelled  to  pick  our  steps  over  heaps  of  rubl)ish,  I  became 
separated  from  our  party  just  outside  the  gate,  and  soon  found 
I  was  lost!  lost  amid  the  interminable  ruins  of  a  deserted  city. 
My  first  impulse  was  to  ride  round  the  city  until  I  came  to  our 
camp,  but  very  soon  discovered  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  ride 
five  or  six  miles  over  bi'oken  walls  in  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
I  next  tried  to  iind  my  way  through  the  city,  but  the  streets 


BUZ  i:  All.  375 

were  so  blocked  up  with  ruins  as  to  render  the  task  impossible. 
My  great  fear  was,  of  falHng  in  with  the  desperate  robbers  wlio 
frequently  infest  these  abandoned  cities.  Finally  I  made  for 
the  citadel,  and  fortunately  met  there  a  Turkish  soldier  who 
conducted  me  safely  to  our  tents. 

Bozrah,  once  the  Roman  capital  of  Bashan  and  the  Ilauran, 
is  situated  on  the  plain  of  Moab,  which  is  here,  perhaps,  fifty 
miles  wide  from  east  to  west,  and,  with  the  exception  of  some 
sandy  ridges,  is  of  unusual  richness  and  fertility.  The  Castle 
of  Bozrah,  with  its  deep  fosse  and  massive  square  towers,  is  a 
citadel  of  great  strength,  and  commands  a  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country  for  many  miles.  The  outer  walls  are  almost  per- 
fect, and  within,  besides  the  numerous  courts,  halls,  and  gal- 
leries of  a  great  fortress,  there  are  the  remains  of  a  grand  am- 
phitheater nearly  three  hundred  feet  across  the  arena,  with  a 
Doric  colonnade  running  round  the  upper  tier  of  seats,  and  two 
large  royal  apartments  of  the  same  order,  on  either  side  of  the 
stage.  Underneath  the  theater  are  extensive  vaults  and  dun- 
geons where  the  wild  beasts  were  kept,  similar  to  those  under 
the  Colosseum  at  Rome,  only  deeper  and  larger.  In  one  of 
these  vaults  there  was  standing  a  white  marble  column,  beauti- 
fully polished,  that  glittered  like  alabaster  in  the  light  of  our 
tapers,  probably  the  first  light  to  ffash  upon  it  in  many  centuries. 
Some  of  the  passage-ways  wei'c  covered  overhead  with  old  col- 
umns laid  crosswise,  and  the  arches  were  most  unique  in  their 
construction,  clearly  indicating  the  work  of  different  ages,  and 
great  antiquity.  Many  of  these  underground  apartments  are 
almost  closed  with  rubbish,  and  as  I  groped  my  way  from  dim- 
geon  to  dungeon,  the  gloom  and  silence,  together  with  the  vast- 
ness  and  massiveness  of  the  work,  impressed  nie  as  no  other 
ruin  had  ever  done  before.     The  city  must  have  contained  a 


376  BIBLE   LANDS. 

population  of  at  least  one  liimdred  thousand,  and  tlie  whole 
plain  for  many  miles  around  is  dotted  with  the  black  remains 
of  other  cities  and  villages,  presenting  a  picture  of  desolation 
rarely  met  with. 

Little  is  known  of  the  early  history  of  Bozrah.  Jeremiah 
first  mentions  it  among  the  cities  of  "  the  plain  country  in  the 
land  of  Moab," '  hut  it  must  have  been  a  flourishing  city,  given 
up  to  wickedness,  long  before  Jeremiah  denounced  against  it 
the  judgments  of  God.  It  is  next  mentioned  in  the  Talmud, 
and  by  Josephus."  AVhcn  the  liomans  conquered  the  country 
it  was  greatly  enlarged,  and  by  Trajan  made  the  capital  of 
Arabia.  And  the  Emperor  Philip,  who  was  a  native  of  Bashan, 
conferred  still  greater  honors  upon  the  place  by  maldng  it  the 
metropolis  of  his  eastern  kingdom.  Early  in  the  Christian 
era  it  became  the  seat  of  a  bishopric,  and  afterward  of  an  arch- 
bisliopric,  with  thirty-three  dioceses,  and  in  time  the  center 
of  Kestorian  power  and  controversy.  Being  a  frontier  city,  it 
was  among  tlie  first  to  fall  before  the  Moslem  invaders,  and 
from  that  moment  began  to  decline,  until  now  nothing  re- 
mains but  heaps  of  broken  columns  and  tottering  walls,  to 
mark  the  site  of  this  once  renowned  Koman  metropolis. 

Bummagiug  among  the  ruins,  we  found  many  inscriptions  in 
Greek,  Latin,  Cufic,  and  Kabathean  characters,  generally  giving 
the  name  and  builder  of  the  edifice.  On  the  square  base  of  a 
column  half  buried  in  the  ground  close  by  our  encampment, 
probably  the  remains  of  some  bath  or  temple,  we  found  a  bold 
Latin  inscription,  stating  that  the  building  was  dedicated  to 
"Antonia  Fortunata,  the  devoted  wife  of  Antonius  Cresar." 
There  are  many  sermons  written  on  these  broken  pillars  and 
<:rumbling  walls.      You  can  sit  for  a  whole  day  in  an  old  templff 

'  Jeremiah  xlviii,  24.  *  Antiquities,  xii,  8. 


CITADEL    OF   BOZRAH.  377 

musing  over  the  past,  and  living  through  two  or  three  thou- 
sand jears  in  an  hour. 

Here  are  Christian  churches,  some  of  them  probably  planted 
by  Paul  when  he  first  preached  in  Arabia,'  once  crowded  with 
worshipers,  but  now  empty  and  quiet  as  the  grave ;  grand  tem- 
ples dedicated  to  different  pagan  divinities,  entirely  deserted, 
without  priest  or  devotee ;  triumphal  arches,  erected  in  honor 
of  men  unknown  in  history,  tottering  with  age,  and  ready  to 
fall ;  beautiful  tombs,  reared  to  the  memory  of  persons  long 
since  forgotten;  palaces,  theaters,  and  other  public  edifices, 
unoccupied  for  centuries,  and  yet,  in  their  decay,  beautiful  ta 
behold. 

Many  of  the  columns  that  lie  around  on  every  hand  are  evi- 
dently of  greater  antiquity  than  the  buildings  in  which  they 
are  found.  Some  of  them  are  marble,  a  few  porphyry.  On  one 
of  the  latter,  standing  in  an  old  mosque,  is  the  singular  Greek 
inscription,  "  In  the  name  of  Christ  our  Saviour."  On  others 
you  will  find,  perhaps,  the  name  of  some  lieathen  deity,  and 
wherever  you  stroll  you  meet  with  these  inscriptions  and 
sculptured  stones,  reminding  one  of  the  desolation  of  Pompeii. 
Truly,  "  Judgment  is  come  upon  Bozrah,  and  upon  all  the  cities 
of  the  land  of  Moab,  far  and  near.'"  East  of  the  city,  near 
the  mosque  of  Caliph  Othman,  is  an  immense  reservoir,  of 
beautiful  workmanship,  five  hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  and 
four  hundred  and  twenty  wide,  supplied  by  aqueducts  from 
distant  mountain  springs ;  and  another,  near  the  citadel,  al- 
most as  large,  designed  to  flood  the  fosse  when  necessary,  both 
in  good  condition,  and  still  full  of  water. 

Tlie  great  mosque,  said  to  have  been  erected  by  Caliph  Omar, 
cuntaius  among  many  others  in  marble  and  granite,  seventeen 

'  Oalatian.s  i,  17.  'Jeremiah  xlviii,  21-24. 


S7 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


porphyry  monolith  cohimns  of  the  Corinthian  order,  probably 
taken  from  the  Cathedral  of  Bozrali,  or  some  older  jjagan  tem- 
ple. The  church  of  the  Nestorian  monk,  Boheira,  who,  it  is 
said,  assisted  Mohammed  in  writing  the  Koran,  is  a  grand  old 
edifice,  square  without  and  circular  within,  very  much  like  Dr. 
Ilairs  fine  church  in  jS^ew  York.  From  a  Greek  inscription 
over  the  entrance,  it  appears  to  have  been  originally  a  Christian 
church  erected  by  Julianus,  Archbishop  of  Bozrah,  A.  D.  513, 


in  honor  of  the  blessed  martyrs  Sergius,  Bacchus,  and  Leon- 
tius.     How  sad  to  contemplate  such  ruins ! 

Near  the  center  of  the  city  four  tall  Corinthian  pillars,  with 
their  capitals,  are  all  that  remain  standing  of  an  imposing  tem- 
ple that  once  stood  upon  this  spot.  Some  ruins  east  of  the  Cas- 
tle are  interesting  on  account  of  their  ponderous  stone  doors, 
several  being  at  least  ten  feet  high,  and  eleven  inches  thick,  still 
swinging  on  their  stone  pivot  hinges.     The  western  gate — Bab 


SALCAH.  379 

■el  nawa — "  Gate  of  the  Winds,"  is  a  fine  specimen  of  Eoman 
arcliiteeture.  Kotliing  could  be  more  graceful  than  the  arches 
which  span  the  roadway,  the  pavement  of  which  is  still  un- 
broken. Five  minutes'  walk  directly  west  of  this  is  a  round 
tower  eighteen  feet  in  diameter,  standing  on  a  square  base,  per- 
haps a  tomb  or  watch-tower,  and  very  beautiful.  The  stone 
has  the  ring  and  appearance  of  metal,  and  is  about  as  hard,  yet 
of  tlie  finest  workmanship. 

Salcah,  the  eastern  border  of  Og's  kingdom,'  though  six 
hours  distant,  can  be  distinctly  seen  from  Bozrah,  and  the  road 
leading  thereto  is  as  straight  as  an  arrow.  About  half  a  mile 
■east  of  Bozrah  we  passed  a  little  stone  mosque  with  stone  door 
and  tracery  windows,  said  to  mark  the  place  where  Moliam- 
med's  camel  stopped  when  the  Prophet  first  came  to  Buzrah. 
"We  followed  the  Boman  road  most  of  the  way,  over  a  rich 
plain  covered  with  small,  irregular  blocks  of  basalt,  but  yielding 
abundant  crops  of  grain.  The  Citadel  of  Salcah  is  built  in  the 
<jrater  of  an  extinct  volcano  that  j-ises  about  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  plain,  and  very  difficult  to  ascend,  owing  to  the  lava 
and  cinders  that  cover  its  slopes.  The  walls  of  the  castle  are 
massive,  and  of  great  height.  Outside  of  them  are  two  moats, 
one  about  two  hundred  feet  below  the  other,  rendering  the  po 
fiition  one  of  great  strength.  The  interior  is  a  labyrinth  of 
•dark  vaults,  narrow  passages,  and  spacious  halls :  in  one  of  the 
latter  we  saw  a  beautiful  rose-window  in  stone  tracery.  Many 
curious  sculptures  of  lions,  palm-trees,  eagles,  and  human  busts, 
adorn  the  walls,  but  no  inscriptions  throwing  light  on  its  early 
history.  And  yet,  from  the  large  beveled  blocks  and  other 
old  material  that  may  be  seen  every- where  in  the  more  modem 
portion  of  the  fortress,  there  must  have  been  a  citadel  here  be- 

'  Deuteronomy  iii,  10. 


380  JJIJJLi:    LANDS. 

fore  the  Roman  Conquest,  and  jDerliaps  as  earlj  as  the  invasion 
of  Bashan  by  Moses.  No  view  could  be  more  extensive  than 
that  from  the  towers  of  this  "castle  in  the  air."  On  the 
north  and  west  may  be  seen  Ilermon,  Ajliin,  and  the  mountains 
of  the  Ilaurdn ;  to  the  south,  the  plain  of  Moab,  covered  with 
desolate  cities  far  as  the  eye  can  reach;  and  to  the  east,  the 
vast  desert  of  Arabia  dotted  with  tells,  stretching  away  to  the 
great  river — the  river  Euphrates. 

One  hour  east  of  Salcah,  on  the  bosom  of  the  plain,  is 
Orman,  the  birth-place  of  Philip  the  Arabian,  and  where  he 
was  crowned  Emperor  of  Rome.  The  country  east  and  south 
of  this  appears  one  great  plain,  with  tells  or  conical  hills  rising 
up  here  and  there  like  islands  in  the  sea,  many  of  them  the 
craters  of  extinct  volcanoes.  These  tells  are  generally  connected 
by  low,  sandy  ridges,  the  depressions  between  them  affording 
rich  pasturage  for  the  flocks  and  herds  of  the  Bedouins.  We 
met  here  with  sevei-al  Arabs  trading  with  the  tribes  of  this 
great  desert,  and  they  represented  the  country  as  rich  and  pop- 
ulous. One  of  them  had  brought  in,  a  few  days  before,  a 
thousand  camels  for  the  Damascus  market,  and  was  pasturing 
them  near  Salcah.  We  also  met  with  Zadam,  the  intelligent 
Sheik  of  the  Beni-Sackka  tribe,  who  told  me  of  a  depression 
like  the  Jordan  Yalley,  about  four  days'  journey  east  of  Zurka 
Main,  and  extending  far  down  into  Arabia.  He  called  it 
Wady  el  Azrak — the  blue  valley — and  said  his  tribe  usually 
wintered  in  it,  as  they  found  there  plenty  of  water,  good  pas- 
turage, and  many  date-bearing  palm-trees.  lie  further  said 
there  was  a  lake  of  pure,  sweet  water  in  this  oasis,  and  on  its 
shore  an  old  castle,  with  but  one  double  stone  door,  large  enough 
to  admit  a  camel,  with  inscriptions  in  an  unknown  language 
on  the  lintel  and  down  the  door  jams.     As  this  tribe  occupy 


GREAT    DESERT    OF   ARABIA.  381 

Southern  Moab,  I  took  occasion  to  ask  him  if  ho  ever  saw  any 
of  the  Moabite  pottery.  He  at  once  described  several  pieces 
he  had  found,  two  jars  with  inscriptions  running  round  them, 
and  many  smaller  vessels  and  images.  lie  also  spoke  of  a  slab 
of  basalt  with  the  image  of  a  man  in  bass-relief,  about  six  feet 
high,  with  hands  clasped  in  front,  and  the  head  resting  on  one 
shoulder,  bearing  an  inscription  of  four  lines  across  the  base, 
which,  of  course,  he  could  not  read.  When  I  inquired  what 
became  of  this  slab,  he  replied,  "  We  buried  it." 

After  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  the  Sheik  of  Salcah,  who 
had  prepared  a  sumptuous  feast  for  us,  and  calling  to  examine 
some  folding  stone  doors  in  the  lower  part  of  the  village,  we 
turned  our  faces  toward  Bozrah  ;  returning  via  Kerioth,  one  of 
the  oldest,  and  at  one  time  among  the  largest,  cities  of  Bashan. 
You  will  find  it  mentioned  in  the  judgments  denounced  against 
the  cities  of  Moab  by  Jeremiah  and  Amos.'  There  are  some 
very  old  houses  and  square  towers  here,  with  heavy  walls  and 
stone  doors.  One,  in  which  we  took  shelter  from  a  rain-storm, 
was  ornamented  with  the  vine  and  clusters  of  grapes,  clearly 
indicating  that  it  belonged  to  the  Jewish  period.  Others  ap- 
pear still  older,  and  many  evidently  date  back  to  the  Eephaim, 
who  first  settled  this  land.  During  our  stay  here  a  number  of 
children  gathered  about  us,  and  a  large  boy,  for  some  cause, 
struck  one  of  them  on  the  head,  and  the  little  fellow  began  to 
cry  most  piteously.  To  pacify  hira,  I  gave  him  a  piaster ;  when 
instantly  the  big  boy,  without  any  provocation,  began  rapping 
them  all  over  the  head,  raising  a  terrible  howl.  All  which  waa 
for  backsheesh. 

•  Jeremiah  xlviii,  21 ;  Amos  ii,  2. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE      LAND      OK      U  Z. 


Suweideh— Ancient  Torabs— Kunawdt— The  Koiiath  of  the  Rihlo— Inu-rwiing 
Monuments— Strong  Towers— Serai  of  Job— Land  of  Uz— Probable  Sueue  of 
Job's  Fiery  Trial— Book  of  Job. 

AFTEE,  spending  tlircc  memorable  days  in  and  around  Boz- 
rali,  we  started  early  on  Tuesday  morning,  May  2d,  for 
Knnawat.  Onr  ride  most  of  the  way  was  through  waving 
grain  fields,  almost  ripe  for  the  harvest.  About  nine  o'clock 
we  passed  the  village  of  Ary,  on  a  tell  in  the  midst  of  rich 
downs,  at  the  base  of  Jebcl  Ilauran,  and  at  noon  were  lunching^ 
under  the  shade  of  a  plane-tree  in  an  old  Christian  church,  just 
without  the  walls  of  Suweideh,  the  present  capital  of  the  Ilauran. 

This  city  was  beautifully  situated  on  a  low  spur  of  the  Ilau- 
ran mountains,  and  must  have  been  a  place  of  considerable  im- 
portance ;  but  not  a  temple,  palace,  or  house  remains  entire — all 
ruin  and  desolation— the  present  sparse  population  living  in  the 
cellars  or  lower  stories  of  the  grand  edifices  that  once  crowned: 
the  ridge.  And  what  is  singular,  nothing  is  known  of  the  history 
of  this  place  prior  to  the  Homan  Conquest,  A.  D.  105,  though^ 
there  is  every  reason  for  believing  that  the  founding  of  tliis- 
city  dates  much  further  back,  as  the  buildings  of  that  period 
look  like  patch-work,  being  all  constructed  of  older  materials. 

Suweideh  appears  to  have  been  a  commercial  city,  and  tO' 

have  had  her  "  merchant  princes,"  who  have  left  behind  them- 

in  two   temples,  monuments   of    their  wealth  and   liberality, 

though  their  own  names,  with  the  ancient  name  of  their  city^ 

382 


RUWEIDEII.  riSf? 

arc  fornfotten.  From  a  Greek  inscription  on  one  of  thof^c  tem- 
ples, now  used  as  a  mosque,  we  learn,  that  it  was  erected  hj 
the  "Bitaiena  Company,"  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Aurelius, 
A.  D.  171.  And  tlie  other  by  the  "Alexandrian  Firm,"  dnr- 
ins;  the  reign  of  the  apostate  Emperor  Julian.  But  to  me, 
one  of  the  most  interesting  monuments  here  is  a  Doric  tomb, 
about  thirty  feet  square  and  forty  high,  standing  on  the  ridge 
to  the  north  of  the  city.  The  sides  are  ornamented  with 
twenty-four  Doric  columns,  between  which  are  armorial  de- 
signs in  bass-relief,  very  bold,  and  on  the  north  and  east  faces 
two  inscriptions,  one  in  Greek,  the  other  in  Palmyrenc,  stating 
that  "  Odainathos,  son  of  Annelos,  built  this  monument  in  hon- 
or of  his  loving  wife  Chamrate."  Nothing  more.  How  touch- 
ingly  beautiful  this  memorial  of  a  husband's  affections  ?  Mr. 
Porter  suggests  that  this  Odainathos  may  have  been  the  hus- 
band of  the  celebrated  queen  Zenobia.  On  another  tomb  is 
recorded  the  \'irtues  of  a  lady  by  the  name  of  Flavia,  who  died 
A.  D.  135  ;  but  who  this  beautiful  character  was  \vill  never  be 
known  until  the  records  of  time  are  unrolled. 

Two  hours'  ride  from  Suweideh,  over  rocks  and  up  among 
the  mountain  spurs  covered  with  evergreen  oaks,  brought  us  to 
Kuiiawat,  the  Kenatli  of  the  Bible,  and  one  of  the  "  tlireescore 
cities"  of  Argob  captured  by  Nobah,  of  the  tribe  of  Manasscli, 
more  tlian  three  thousand  years  ago.'  We  found  our  tents  pitclu^d 
a  few  minutes'  walk  west  of  the  city,  near  the  ruins  of  a  beauti- 
ful periptery  temple  dedicated  to  some  unknown  god,  M-Jiicli 
stood  in  an  open  court,  on  an  elevated  platform,  with  a  portico 
on  its  eastern  front  originally  supported  by  twelve  Corintliian 
pillars  in  two  rows.  The  columns  rested  on  square  podestals: 
about  six  feet  high,  on  all  of  which  there  were  inscriptions,  no 

'  Numbers  xxxii,  42. 


384  BIBLi:    LAJS'DS. 

longer  legible.  Only  seven  of  these  coliimiis  are  standing; 
the  others,  with  many  beautiful  sculptured  stones,  lie  in  confused 
heaps  about  the  court.  Strolling  in  any  direction,  you  will 
find  beneath  your  feet,  half  buried  in  the  earth,  broken  statues, 
inscribed  blocks,  and  other  remains  of  architectural  grandeur, 
presenting  a  sad  picture  of  utter  desolation.  The  principal 
ruins  of  Kenath  extend  for  about  a  mile  along  both  sides  of  a 
ravine,  through  which  flows  a  mountain  stream,  supplying  the 
place  with  an  abundance  of  good  water.  In  this  valley,  above 
the  bridge  and  east  of  the  stream,  is  the  theater,  built  against 
a  rocky  cViG.  in  which  the  seats  arc  excavated,  with  a  fountain 
in  the  center  of  the  orchestra.  Kext  comes  a  small  temple  or 
bath,  and  just  above  it,  on  the  hill,  a  fort  or  castle  built  of  largo 
beveled  stones,  apparently  of  Phoenician  workmanship.  The 
stone  doors  of  this  building  are  tastefully  paneled  and  embossed, 
with  a  groove  on  the  inside  for  the  bolt  to  slide  in,  which,  by 
a  simple  but  secure  arrangement,  could  also  be  opened  from 
without.  May  not  these  bolts  be  the  "brazen  bars"  referred 
to  in  the  Scriptures? ' 

A  few  rods  from  this  fortress  is  one  of  the  many  round 
tuwers  every-wiiere  to  be  seen  in  this  region.  They  are  from 
thirty  to  forty  feet  in  diameter  and  about  fifty  high — some 
round  without  and  square  within,  with  stone  doors  bai-cly  large 
enough  to  admit  one  person  at  a  time,  and  very  thick  walls. 
They  bear  the  marks  of  great  age,  and  were,  no  doubt,  con- 
structed for  the  protection  of  the  herdsmen  and  shepherds  from 
the  Bedouins  of  the  desert,  and  are  the  "  strong  towers  "  so 
often  alluded  to  in  the  Scriptures,  and  to  which  David  refers 
when  he  says,  "  The  Lord  is  my  rock  and  my  fortress,  and  a 
strong  tower  from  the  enemy." ' 

'  1  Kings  iv.  13.  «  Psalms  xviii,  2 ;  Ixi,  3. 


KUNAWAT. 


385 


But  the  most  interesting  ruin  in  Kunawat  is  a  group  of 
buildings  on  the  ridge  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  known  as  the 
"  Serai,"  or  •'  Pakce,  of  Job." 

Three  large  buildings  of  different  periods,  in  good  preserva- 
tion, are  still  standing.  They  have  been  remodeled  and  used 
as  Christian  Churches  or  convents,  but  evidently  belong  to  a 
much  earlier  j)eriod.  The  door  casings  are  elaborately  orna- 
mented with  vines  and  clusters  of  grapes,  and  the  friezes  with 
grotesque  satyrs  in  wreaths  of  flowers  and  fruit.     Some  of  the 


HEAD  OF  BAAL   ON   AN   ALTAR   AT   KUNAWAT. 


pillars  are  entirely  plain,  with  square  capitals  ;  others  Corinthian  ; 
and  others,  again,  Palmyrene,  with  brackets  for  statues.  The 
large  court  in  front  is  nicely  paved  with  dressed  stones,  and  be- 
neath it  are  numerous  cisterns  for  water,  and  vaults  for  storing 
grain,  or,  it  may  be,  sepulchers  for  the  dead.  There  is  such  a 
collection  of  halls,  galleries,  and  corridors,  colonnades,  porticoes, 
and  sculpture,  half  buried  in  heaps  of  rubbish,  and  so  overrun 

with  brambles,  hawthorn,  and  dwarf  oaks,  as  to  render  it  next 
25 


886  BLBLE   LANDS. 

to  impossible  to  make  any  thing  out  of  this  remarkable  ruin. 
A  Greek  inscription  on  the  base  of  a  column,  in  raised  letters, 
states  that  the  temple  to  which  it  belonged  was  dedicated  to 
"the  great  god,"  but  who  that  god  was  we  are  left  to  con- 
jecture. From  a  colossal  head  of  Baal  found  near  this,  it 
would  appear  Baal  was  that  deity.  Some  of  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  stone  doors  are  here,  still  swinging  on  theii 
stone  pivot-hinges  which  work  in  corresponding  sockets  in 
the  door-sill  and  lintel ;  and  many  other  remains  equally  inter- 
esting. One  ruin  is  supposed  to  be  a  temple  of  Ashtaroth, 
the  Astarte  of  the  Greeks,  from  an  image  of  that  goddess 
found  near  it.  And  another  building,  known  as  the  Hippo- 
drome, presents  nothing  but  a  confused  heap  of  broken 
columns  and  statues,  fragments  of  sculptured  animals  and 
inscribed  blocks,  perfectly  bewildering  to  behold. 

Eusebius  and  Pliny  both  mention  this  place  under  its  Greek 
name,  Canatha,  and  describe  it  as  an  "  important  town  in  Arabia, 
captured  by  Nobah,  and  belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Manasseh, 
and  situated  in  the  province  of  Trachonitis,  near  Bostra;" 
thus  establishing  the  identity  of  Argob  and  Trachonitis.  We 
have  here  direct  proof  that  Kunawat  is  the  Kenath  of  the 
Bible  and  the  Canatha  of  the  Greeks,  and  one  of  the  giant 
cities  taken  by  Nobah  in  the  conquest  of  Argob.* 

How  difficult  it  is  to  grasp  at  once  the  events  of  three  thou- 
sand years !  or  to  realize,  when  wandering  through  the  streets 
of  this  city,  that  the  ruined  buildings  over  which  we  clamber 
were  erected  before  Christ  was  bom,  before  Rome  was  found- 
ed, even  before  the  children  of  Israel  came  up  out  of  Egypt ; 
that  this  is  the  land  in  which  "  the  giants  dwelt  in  old  time ; " 
and  that  perhaps  some  of  the  ruins  over  which  we  have  been 

'  Numbers  xxxii,  42. 


LAND    OF    UZ.  i>6J 

climbing  were  reared  by  that  powerful  race  of  men ;  tliat 
these  cities  of  Bashan  are  among  the  oldest  works  of  man,  and 
were  standing  before  Abram  left  his  native  land,  and  before 
the  patriarch  Job  endured  his  fiery  trial. 

But  that  which  staggers  our  faith  more  than  all  this,  is  to 
believe  the  tradition,  now  almost  an  established  fact,  that  the 
Hauran  is  "  the  land  of  Uz ;"  that  Job  was  one  of  the  first 
princes  of  this  country ;  that  this  city  of  Kenath  was  his  home ; 
and  that  the  "  Serai,"  or  palace,  that  still  bears  his  name  marks 
the  site  of  his  severe  trial  and  glorious  triumph. 

There  has  been  much  discussion  as  to  the  locality  of  the 
country  where  Job  resided.  The  name,  doubtless,  was  derived 
from  Uz,  the  grandson  of  Shem,'  who  is  said  to  have  founded 
Damascus  and  Trachonitis,"  and  j)robably  lived  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, giving  his  name  to  the  district  where  he  resided. 
The  country  being  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  Chaldeans 
and  Sabeans,  must  have  been  a  frontier  province  to  the  north- 
east of  Palestine.  It  conld  not  have  been  as  far  south  as  Edom, 
for  "  the  daughter  of  Edom  "  was  in  exile  when  dwelling  in 
the  land  of  Uz.'  And  the  Edomite  Uz  is  not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  grandson  of  Shem,  the  Edomite  being  a  descendant 
of  the  Horites,  who  removed  from  their  own  country  and  set- 
tled in  "  the  land  of  Uz."  Some  locate  the  home  of  Job  in 
Mesopotamia,  near  the  Euphrates.  But  if  Aram  and  Syria  are 
identical,  which  none  will  deny;  and  if  Padan-Arani,  as  we 
think  can  be  shown,  was  in  Syria  round  about  Damascus,  and 
sometimes  called  Aram  Damascus ;  *  and  if  the  land  of  Uz  de- 
rived its  name  from  the  son  of  Aram  and  lay  to  the  north-east 
of  Israel,  in  Aram,  or  between  Aram  and  Edom,  as  is  more 

'  Genesis  x,  23.  *  Josepluis,  Antiquities,  i,  6. 

*  Lamentations  iv,  21.  *  2  Samuel  viii,  5. 


390  BIBLE    LANDS. 

than  probable ;  then,  no  country  can  so  fully  meet  all  the  con- 
ditions and  facts  in  the  life  and  writings  of  this  remarkable 
man,  as  the  Hauran.  So  there  is  some  ground  for  the  tradition 
that  locates  Uz  in  Aram,  and  the  residence  of  Job  at  Kunawat. 

This  locality  is  not  only  the  traditionary  but  historic  Uz. 
Chrysostom  speaks  of  many  people,  during  the  first  centuries 
of  our  era,  making  pilgrimages  to  the  Hauran  to  see  the  spot 
"  where  the  patient  patriarch  sat  and  scraped  himself  with  a 
potsherd."  Wetstein,  Delitzsch,  and  other  eminent  biblical 
scholars  were  of  the  opinion  that  Job  was  a  native  of  the 
Haurdn.  It  also  accords  with  the  general  belief  that  the 
buffalo,  or  "  strong  bull  of  Bashan,"  was  the  behemoth  of  Job. 
And  the  customs,  productions,  and  topography  of  the  country, 
and  the  high  degree  of  civilization  described  in  the  Book  of 
Job,  agree  better  with  this  locality  than  with  any  other  in  the 
East. 

In  a  note  appended  to  the  Book  of  Job  in  the  Septuagint 
version,  it  is  stated,  "  That  the  translation  was  made  out  of  a 
Syriac  book,  and  that  Job  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Ausitis,  on  the 
confines  of  Idumea."  Now  we  know  that  the  Herodian  family 
was  of  Idumean  origin,  and,  if  their  country  did  not  extend 
so  far  north  as  the  Hauran,  that  Bashan  was  given  to  Herod 
the  Great  by  Augustus  Caesar,  that  it  was  also  part  of  Philip's 
tetrarchy,*  and  that  it  was  afterward  given  by  Cahgula  to 
Herod  Agrippa,  and  after  Caligula's  death,  conveyed  by 
Claudius  to  Agrippa  11."  And  it  is  a  singular  coincidence, 
that  among  the  ruins  of  a  temple  at  Sia,  near  Kenath,  very 
similar  to  the  temple  of  Solomon,  were  found  a  statue  of 
Herod  the  Great,  and  an  inscription  containing  the  names  of 
the  two  Herod  Agrippas. 

'  Josephus,  War,  ii,  6  ;   Antiquities,  xviii,  4.  '  Antiquities,  xx,  7. 


GEOGRAPHICAL    LOCATION.  391 

Uz,  the  eldest  son  of  Nahor,  probably  lived  in  tbe  country 
that  bore  his  name.  He  was  the  brother  of  Buz,  and  it  will  be 
remembered  that  Elihu,  the  young  friend  of  Job,  was  a  "  Buzite, 
of  the  kindred  of  Aram,"  '  showing  that  the  land  of  Uz  was  in 
close  proximity  to  Aram,  as  was  also  Aram  to  the  Hauran ;  * 
and  that  Job  may  have  been  a  descendant  of  Nahor,  the  brother 
of  Abraham.  But  whether  Job  was  an  Israelite  or  Ishmaelite, 
it  is  generally  admitted  that  he  lived  in  Arabia,  near  the  fron- 
tier of  Palestine ;  that  he  must  have  had  some  acquaintance 
with  Abraham  or  his  immediate  descendants;  and  that  the 
country  named  fulfills  the  conditions  of  the  narrative  better 
than  any  other  known.  This  region  was  never  before  visited 
by  an  American,  and  it  was  with  pecuhar  feehngs  we  stroUed 
over  the  traditional  estate  of  Job,  drank  from  the  spring  of 
Job,  slept  in  the  old  house  of  Job,  and  cooked  our  meals  on, 
perhaps,  the  same  hearth-stone  where  that  holy  man,  in  his 
great  affliction,  once  sat  in  the  ashes. 

From  the  inspired  record  it  appears  that  Job  was  an  eastern 
prince  of  great  wealth  and  unflinching  integrity.  Of  no  other 
man  was  it  ever  said  by  the  Almighty,  "  There  is  none  like  him 
in  the  earth,  a  perfect  and  an  upright  man ;  one  that  fears  God, 
and  escheweth  evil."  *  As  a  writer,  his  style  is  highly  Oriental, 
his  conceptions  sublime,  and  his  arguments  unanswerable.  ISTo 
other  book  in  the  Old  Testament  is  so  full  of  divine  truth,  and 
none  contain  such  revelations  of  the  invisible  world.  It  was 
probably  first  written  in  the  Arabic,  and  afterward  translated 
into  the  Hebrew  by,  perhaps,  Moses,  who  is  supposed  to  have 
been  his  contemporary ;  though  some  biblical  historians  make 
him  the  contemporary  of  Abraham. 

All  this  region  was  anciently  known  as  "  the  East,"  and  it 

»  Job  xxxii,  2.  s  1  Chroaicles  ii,  23.  »  Job  i,  8. 


392  BIBLE    LAJN^DS. 

was  probably  from  liere  the  Magi  came  with  their  costly  pres- 
ents to  worship  the  infant  Saviour;  as  frankincense,  myrrh, 
and  other  aromatics  are  indigenous  to  this  section,  and  a  star 
blazing  over  Bethlehem  could  be  distinctly  seen  from  here. 

ISTothing  could  be  more  picturesque  than  the  scenery  around 
Kunawat.  The  babbling  waters  leap  in  cascades  down  the 
mountain.  The  hills  are  covered  with  forests  of  oak — the  oaks 
of  Bashan  ;  and  from  almost  every  high  place  some  round  tower 
or  ruined  temple,  overrun  with  woodbine,  wild  flowers,  and 
creepers,  may  be  seen  lifting  its  venerable  weather-beaten  head, 
as  if  defying  the  ravages  of  time. 


.=^1' 


^C 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ARGOB    AND    PADAN-ARAM. 

Tribal  Wars — The  Lejah — A  Soa  of  Congealed  Iron — Part  of  Ancient  Argob — 
Druses — Their  History  and  Religion — Edrei,  the  Ancient  Capital  of  Bashan — 
Taken  by  Moses — Mirage — Padan-Aram — Haran,  near  Damascus — Laban  the 
Syrian. 

THE  night  before  leaving  Kunawat  we  were  waited  on  by  a 
deputation  from  the  village,  and  told  not  to  be  alarmed  if 
we  heard  firing  in  the  night,  as  they  expected  an  attack  from 
some  of  their  enemies,  with  whom  they  had  had  a  quarrel,  as 
usual,  about  a  young  woman.  Frequent  reports  of  guns  were 
heard  during  the  night,  but  I  slept  through  all ;  and  in  the 
morning  learned  that  eight  of  the  enemy  had  been  killed, 
and  twelve  or  more  wounded.  The  victory  was  celebrated  by 
a  grand  war-dance,  very  similar  to  that  among  the  North  Ameri- 
can Indians. 

Soon  after  leaving  camp  we  saw  a  large  wolf  near  some  tombs 
west  of  Kenath,  and  shortly  afterward  a  hyena  ran  slowly  across 
our  path.  In  about  two  hours  we  passed  Suleim,  where  there 
is  the  ruin  of  a  beautiful  temple,  and  crossing  a  rich  plain  cov- 
ered with  porous  tufa  bowlders,  struck  about  noon  the  Lejah,  a 
most  singular  region.  The  name  signifies  "  rocky,"  and  is  de- 
scriptive of  its  physical  aspect,  being  a  wild,  sterile  district  re- 
sembling a  sea  of  lava  poured  out  from  a  thousand  craters,  and 
spread  like  a  coat  of  mail  over  the  surface  of  the  plain.  It 
looks  very  much  like  iron,  is  about  as  hard,  and  when  riding 
over  it,  has  the  ring  of  iron.     Though  you  see  no  great  ele- 


394  BIBLE   LANDS. 

vations,  the  surface  is  not  level,  but  undulating  and  broken — 
very  rough  in  places,  with  many  deep  chasms  and  fissures,  as  if 
there  had  been  internal  disturbances  and  upheavals  during  its 
cooling  process — a  congealed  sea  of  iron. 

This  remarkable  district,  forming  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  Hauran,  is  about  twenty-five  miles  long  by  twenty  wide ; 
and  has  always  been  a  hiding-place  for  Bedouin  robbers  and 
wild  beasts,  and  a  place  of  retreat  for  the  natives  in  time  of 
danger,  the  numerous  caves  and  clefts  afiording  them  a  safe 
shelter  from  their  enemies ;  its  rocky  fastnesses  being  inac- 
cessible to  horsemen,  and  its  labyrinth  of  pits  and  crevices 
dangerous  to  footmen.  The  Arabs  call  it  the  "Fortress  of 
God."  Being  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  plain  unsurpassed  for  its 
productiveness,  the  remains  of  at  least  fifty  cities  and  villages 
are  found  within  its  iron-clad  limits,  built  there,  no  doubt,  for 
security,  as  there  are  no  living  streams  in  this  desolate  region, 
and  the  only  arable  ground,  a  few  small  patches  in  the  depres- 
sions, formed  by  the  dust  blown  in  from  the  surrounding  plain. 
That  the  Lejah  is  a  portion  of  the  Argob  of  Scripture,  after- 
ward known  as  Trachonitis,  there  can  be  but  little  doubt,  the 
Hebrew  Argob  having  the  same  meaning  as  the  Greek  Trach- 
onitis, and  the  same  cities  located  by  Moses  in  the  former,  later 
historians  locate  in  the  latter.  "We  also  find  on  the  temple  at 
Musmeih,  ancient  Phseno,  one  of  the  principal  cities  of  the 
Lejah,  an  inscription  of  forty  lines,  giving  a  history  of  the 
place  as  the  capital  of  Trachonitis;  thus  establishing,  beyond 
controversy,  the  identity  of  the  Lejah  with  Argob,  and  Argob 
with  Trachonitis,  over  which  "  Philip  the  Tetrarch  "  ruled  in 
the  days  of  Christ.' 

Many  of  the  villages  of  the  Lejah  and  of  the  Haurdn 

'  Luke  iii,  1. 


DRUSES.  395 

are  occupied  bj  Druses,  a  peculiar  people,  with  a  strange 
history  and  mysterious  religion.  They  are  of  Caucasian  ex- 
traction, being  the  descendants  of  the  Mardi,  a  warlike  tribe 
from  north  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  who  settled  among  the  Lebanon 
mountains  about  the  close  of '  the  seventh  century  of  our  era. 
They  have  always  been  an  independent,  exclusive,  and  revenge- 
ful people,  and  yet  noted  for  their  hospitaHty,  truthfulness, 
and  temperance.  Strangers  among  them  are  entertained  in 
true  patriarchal  style.  To  one  of  their  own  sect  they  never 
tell  a  falsehood ;  and  a  good  Druse  never  drinks  wine  nor  smokes 
tobacco.  Their  religion  is  a  mixture  of  idolatry,  Mohammed- 
anism, and  Christianity,  dating  back  to  the  Egyptian  Caliph 
Hakin,  whom  they  regard  as  their  founder  and  prophet.  Their 
meetings  for  worship  are  held  on  Thursday  evenings,  and  are 
of  a  social,  religious,  and  political  character.  Having  no  regu- 
lar priesthood,  these  services  are  conducted  by  their  sheiks,  or 
emirs,  as  they  are  called,  who  are  their  religious  and  political 
leaders.  These  meetings  are  all  held  secretly,  no  stranger  or 
uninitiated  person  being  admitted  under  any  circumstances,  and 
in  character  partake  of  a  secret  organization,  with  different  de- 
grees, signs,  and  passwords.  They  are  an  intelligent,  tidy,  and 
industrious  people,  almost  white,  with  red  cheeks,  and  in  every 
respect  far  superior  to  the  ordinary  Arab.  In  making  some  ex- 
plorations in  this  region.  Prof.  Lewis,  of  Beirut,  on  one  occasion, 
left  his  horse,  shawl,  and  gloves,  near  the  path.  After  an  hour's 
absence  he  returned,  and  was  surprised  to  find  his  shawl  and 
gloves  gone.  He  at  once  communicated  the  robbery  to  the 
emir  of  the  nearest  village,  remarking,  "  That  he  thought 
the  Druses  were  never  guilty  of  stealing,  and  was  sorry  to 
lose  his  good  opinion  of  them."  The  emir  replied,  "  It 
was   not   his    people    that    committed    the    theft,   but    some 


396  BIBLE   LANDS. 

Christians  who  had  passed  that  way  during  the  professor's 
absence."  However  that  may  be,  the  articles  were  returned 
in  a  few  hours. 

Nejran  is  a  large  old  city  within  the  Lejah,  but  its  ancient 
name  and  history  are  unknown.  It  is'  now  inhabited  by  the 
Druses,  and  as  we  drew  near  the  place,  the  emir  and  his  chiefs 
met  us  with  the  usual  salam,  giving  us  a  cordial  welcome, 
and,  after  entertaining  us  in  the  most  hospitable  manner,  ex- 
pressed their  regrets  as  we  were  leaving  that  we  could  not 
stay  with  them  longer.  One  hour  from  here  brought  us  to 
the  extensive  ruins  of  Kiratah,  where  there  is  an  abundance 
of  water.  Soon  after  leaving  this  place  we  were  overtaken  by 
a  furious  wand  and  rain-storm ;  some  of  our  pack  mules  were 
swamped,  and  one  we  rescued  with  great  difficulty  from  the 
rushing  waters,  which  carried  him  far  down  the  stream.  The 
sun,  however,  came  out  bright  and  warm  as  we  approached 
Edrei,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night,  much  to  the  alarm 
and  amazement  of  its  sparse  population. 

Edrei,  the  ancient  capital  of  Bashan,'  is  situated  on  a  spur  of 
the  Lejah,  that  runs  far  out  toward  the  west  into  the  fertile 
plain  which  incloses  it  on  three  sides.  The  ruins  are  not  so 
extensive,  but  appear  older  than  those  of  Bozrali.  Many  of 
the  houses  are  still  in  their  primitive  state,  though  half  buried 
in  the  rubbish  of  ages.  Every  thing  about  them  is  stone — black 
basalt,  hard  as  flint — and  yet,  in  some  instances,  of  beautiful 
workmanship,  though  generally  massive,  gloomy,  and  rude.  As 
the  city  had  to  rely  entirely  upon  the  rains  for  water,  there  are 
many  cisterns,  and  underground  vaults  for  storing  grain.  So 
when  you  ride  through  the  city  there  is  a  hollow  sound,  as  if 
you  were  riding  over  subterranean  houses.    It  was  with  peculiar 

'  Numbers  xxi.  SS. 


.^hll-4'^^'^ 


■t;Q 


".fl-    '- 

EDREI.  399 

feelings  we  stood  on  the  walls  of  tliis  old  city  of  Og,  and 
looked  out  over  the  rich  plain,  and  considered  that  on  that 
very  plain  the  Amorites  met  the  conquering  Israelites  in  battle, 
and  that  perhaps  on  the  very  spot  we  were  gazing  on  the  giant 
king  of  Bashan  fell  when  his  whole  army  was  routed  hj  Moses, 
thirty  centuries  and  more  ago.' 

There  are  here  several  churches  that  well  deserve  a  passing 
notice.  That  of  St.  Elias,  though  in  ruins,  is  the  old  church 
of  John  Methodius,  and  certainly  the  oldest  Methodist  church 
in  the  world.  The  Church  of  St.  George,  not  the  saint 
who  killed  the  dragon,  but  the  porter  who  aided  Paul  in  his 
escape  from  Damascus,  is  a  unique  building,  of  an  early  date, 
and  almost  perfect.  It  is  square  without,  and  octagonal  within, 
with  an  apsis  containing  three  tiers  of  stone  seats  back  of  the 
pulpit.  The  rotunda  is  surmounted  by  an  egg-shaped  dome, 
thirty-six  feet  in  diameter,  resting  on  eight  square  piers.  There 
never  could  have  been  a  particle  of  wood  about  the  building,  the 
seats,  altar-rail,  doors,  shutters,  ceiling,  roof,  every  thing  stone. 
From  an  inscription  over  the  door  we  learn  that  it  was  first  a 
heathen  temple,  then  a  Christian  church,  and  now  a  Moham- 
medan mosque.  In  the  crypt  we  found  many  human  skeletons 
wrapped  in  their  winding  sheets,  perhaps  the  relics  of  the  men 
and  women  who  once  sat  under  the  preaching  of  Paul — the  first 
converts  from  paganism — sleeping  here,  in  their  silent  tombs, 
awaiting  the  trump  of  God,  which  shall  call  them  to  life  again. 

To  avoid  the  sharp  rocks  of  the  Lejah,  we  turned  to  the 
west  from  Edrei,  reaching  Aere  for  luncheon.  We  found  here 
some  large  ruins,  but  were  not  able  to  make  any  thing  out  of 
them.  Some  of  the  stone  doors  were  folding,  and  large  enough 
to  ride  through  without  difficulty. 

'  Numbers  xxi,  83-35. 


400  BIBLE    LANDS. 

At  Aere  we  struck  again  the  great  Haj  trail  from  Damascus  to 
Mecca,  which  follows  the  old  Koman  road  far  down  into  Southern 
Arabia.  Many  caravans  were  going  and  coming,  but  all  under 
guard.  How  strange  that  from  the  oldest  city  in  the  world 
not  a  caravan,  diligence,  or  traveler  can  leave,  except  under 
military  escort.  Riding  over  the  plain  a  little  west  of  the 
Lejah,  we  witnessed  a  singular  phenomenon — one  of  those 
beautiful  mirages  peculiar  to  this  region,  produced,  probably, 
by  the  glare  of  the  sun  on  this  metallic  mirror.  The  entire 
Lejah  looked  like  a  rippled  sea  of  glass,  bordered  with  forests, 
with  here  and  there  islands  covered  with  foliage.  The  whole 
effect  was  wonderful.  In  the  evening  we  encamped  at  a  place 
called  Ghubaghib,  near  a  Turkish  garrison,  and  were  compelled 
to  add  two  of  the  soldiers  to  our  guard  to  keep  the  garrison 
from  robbing  us.     Such  is  Turkish  rule. 

Starting  at  an  early  hour  to  avoid  the  heat,  a  ride  of  two 
hours  brought  us  to  Musmeih,  the  Phseno  of  the  Greeks,  the 
capital  city  of  Trachonitis,  the  Argob  of  Joshua.  The  Lejah 
here  has  the  same  general  appearance — that  of  a  molten  sea  of 
iron  suddenly  chilled,  then  settling  and  cracking,  leaving  the 
surface  full  of  rents  and  air-bubbles.  The  principal  ruin  at 
Musmeih  is  a  temple  of  a  florid  style  of  architecture.  Three 
Doric  columns  of  the  portico  are  still  standing,  and  to  the 
right  of  the  entrance  on  the  door-casing  is  the  long  inscription 
to  which  we  have  already  referred.  A  path  winding  among 
the  broken  and  jagged  rocks  leads  from  here  to  Burak,  a  de- 
serted city  on  the  extreme  northern  limit  of  the  Lejah,  contain- 
ing many  massive  houses  with  beautiful  stone  doors,  the  slabs 
forming  the  roofs  and  floors  looking  like  oak  plank,  twelve 
feet  long  and  three  inches  thick,  nicely  jointed.  Many  of  the 
houses  were  well  preserved.     From  Ihirak  tlie  road  leads  di- 


PAD  AN- ARAM.  401 

rectlj  to  Damascus,  distant  about  twenty-five  miles  ;  but  we 
shall  sweep  round  to  the  cast  by  way  of  Ilarran  el  Awamid, 
which  is  more  than  likely  the  Ilaran  where  Abraham  buried 
his  father  on  his  way  to  Canaan. 

The  country  called  Aram  probably  took  its  name  from  Aram, 
the  son  of  Shem  and  father  of  Uz,  who  first  settled  in  this 
quarter  of  the  globe.  After  the  Greek  conquest  it  was  known 
as  Syria,  and  in  the  Greek  translations  of  the  Eiblo  Aram  is 
always  rendered  Syria,  the  two  names  having  the  same  import 
and  being  used  in  common  to  denote  the  same  country.  Tho 
name  signifies  "  highland,"  and  was  originally  applied  to  both 
ranges  of  the  Lebanon,  the  Ilauran,  and  all  the  mountains  of 
Palestine  on  both  sides  of  the  Jordan  as  far  north  as  tho 
Orontes.  Of  the  several  districts  into  which  this  country  was 
divided,  Aram  Damascus  was  the  principal ;  and  though  at 
first  it  only  included  the  territory  around  that  ancient  city,  was 
afterward  applied  to  the  whole  of  Syria,  of  which  Damascus 
was  for  a  long  time  the  capital.  Padan-Aram,  where  "  Laban 
the  Syrian'"  lived,  rendered  in  the  Hebrew  Aram-Naharaim^ 
"  the  Plain  of  Aram,"  or  the  country  between  the  rivers,  or,  as 
Dean  Stanley  renders  it,  "  the  cultivated  district  at  the  foot  of 
the  hills,"  we  think,  with  Drs.  Beke  and  Porter,  refers  to  tho 
Plain  of  Damascus  between  the  rivers  Pharpar  and  Abana. 
In  the  Septuagint  version  of  the  Scriptures  Aram-Naharaim 
is  translated  ''Mesopotamia  in  Syria,"  or  Syria  of  the  two 
rivers,  as  if  a  distinction  was  to  be  made  between  it  and  the 
country  lying  between  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates. 

When  the  Almighty  appeared  to  Abraham  and  commanded 

him  to  "get  out"  of  his  own  country,  he  left  "the  land  of  hia 

nativity,    Ur,   of  the  Chaldees,"'   situated,   not   on  the   head 

'  Genesis  xxv,  20.  «  Acts  vii,  2  ;  Genesis  xi,  31. 

26 


402  BIBLE   LANDS. 

waters  of  the  Euphrates,  but  down  near  its  entrance  into  the 
Persian  Gulf,  and  settled  first  at  Haran,  which  aj^pears  to  have 
been  somewhere  near  the  borders  of  Canaan.  And  when  we 
consider  that  his  steward,  who  was  "  born  in  his  liousc,"  and 
whom  he  raised  up  as  his  heir,  was  "  Eliezer  of  Uaraascns," ' 
the  clear  meaning  of  which  is,  he  was  born  in  or  near  Damas- 
cus, and  that  Josephus  informs  us,  Abraham  was  a  prince  in 
this  land,  and  "reigned  at  Damascus,""  we  infer  that  Ilaran 
could  not  have  been  very  far  from  that  city.  The  river  that 
J  acob  passed  over  after  leaving  Laban '  was  probably  the  Phar- 
par,  as  from  here  he  could  see  the  mountains  of  Gilead,  which 
is  implied  in  the  narrative.  And  it  ap]>cars  he  was  only  ten 
days  making  the  journey,  with  his  family  and  flocks,  from 
Padan-Aram  to  Mount  Gilead,  and  Labau  only  seven  days  in 
overtaking  him.  We  rode  it  in  eiglit  days ;  but  fi-om  the 
Mesopotamia  of  the  Greeks  the  journey  could  not  he  made  in 
less  than  thirty  days,  and  through  a  desert  part  of  the  way, 
where  it  would  be  impossible  to  drive  flocks  with  their  young. 
It  will  also  be  remembered  that  Kahor,  the  brother  of  Abra- 
ham, when  living  at  Ilaran,  named  one  of  his  sons  Uz,  indi- 
cating a  connection  between  Ilaran  and  the  land  or  family  of 
Uz ;  and  that  Laban  and  Jacob,  when  they  parted  for  the  last 
time  on  Mizpah-Gilead,  erected  an  altar,  and  heaped  uj)  stones 
of  witness  to  deflne  the  boundary  between  the  possessions  of 
the  two  families,'  showing  that  they  could  not  have  lived  very 
far  apart. 

Now,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  after  the  lapse  of  near  four 
thousand  years,  we  tind  in  the  delta  of  the  Pharpar  and  Abana, 
about  twelve  miles  east  of  Damascus,  the  remains  of  a  city  still 

'  Genesis  xv,  2.  *  Antiquities  i,  1. 

»  Genesis  xxxi,  21,  23.  ■•  Genesis  xxxi,  52. 


HAEAN.  403 

^bearing  the  name  of  llarran,  which  meets  every  condition  of 
the  inspired  account.  It  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  fertile 
plain  between  the  two  rivers,  and  on  the  shores  of  what  was 
once  a  large  lake  before  the  waters  were  drawn  off  to  irrigate 
the  desert.  Three  Ionic  colunms  of  black  basalt  are  all  that 
remain  standing  of  an  ancient  temple  without  name  or  date ; 
and  these  silent  witnesses,  with  a  few  fragments  of  sculpture, 
and  some  broken  stone  pillars,  are  the  only  memorials  left  to 
mark  the  site  of  this  interesting  place ;  which,  so  far  as  location 
and  topography  are  concerned,  may  be  Haran,  "The  city  of 
Nahor,"'  where  Terah,  the  father  of  Abraham,  died,  and 
where  "Laban  the  Syrian,"  lived.  And  "the  well  in  the 
field,"  where  the  maidens  still  water  their  flocks,  may  be  the 
same  from  which  Rebecca  often  filled  her  pitcher,  and  where 
Jacob  first  met  -with  his  beautiful  Rachel." 

'  Genesis  xiiv,  10.  *  (Jeuesis  xxii,  10. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LAlTiST  DISCOVERIES  IX  ASSYRIA   AND  PALESTINE. 

Recovery  of  Long-lost  Nineveh — Wonderful  Remains  of  an  Extinct  Nation — As- 
syrian Records  of  the  Creation — Cesnola's  Explorations  in  Cyprus — Moabite 
Pottery — Suburbs  of  tlie  Levitical  Cities — Golden  Candlestick — Image  of  Beel- 
zebub— Ilouse  of  Simon  tlie  Tanner — Hadrian's  Head. 

TIIE  discoveries  lately  made  in  Assyria  among  the  ruins  of 
long-buried  Nineveh  and  Babylon,  by  Botta,  Layard,  Smith, 
and  others,  are  a  most  valuable  contribution  to  biblical  archa3- 
ology. 

These  cities  appear  to  have  been  founded  about  the  same 
time.  Kineveh,  the  capital  of  Assyria,  by  Asshur,  son  of 
Shcm — who  may  also  have  given  his  name  to  the  country — on 
the  river  Tigris,  five  hundred  miles  above  its  junctiun  with 
the  Euphrates;  Babylon,  the  capital  of  Clialdrea,  by  Kimrod, 
the  grandson  of  Ham,  on  the  Euphrates  in  the  land  of  "  Shi- 
nar,"  three  hundred  miles  south  of  Nineveh.  From  the  fre- 
quent reference  to  Nirarod  on  the  Babylonian  monuments,  the 
name,  like  that  of  Pharaoh,  probably  applied  to  all  the  early 
kings  of  Babylonia. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  early  history  of  these  cities.  It 
would  appear,  however,  from  recent  explorations,  that  the  As- 
syrians at  an  early  period  conquered  Chaldfea,  and  that  after 
this  event  the  two  nations  became  one  empire — their  language, 
religion,  and  customs  ap])earing  to  bo  essentially  the  same,  and 
that  the  old  Accadian  language  of  Chaldoja  or  Babylonia  grad- 
ually became  extinct,  being  substituted  by  the  Semitic  or  A&- 
404 


EXrAVATIONS    AT    NINEVKU. 


RECOVERY  OF  NINEVEH.  407 

pyrian.  Nineveh  was  made  the  pohtical  capital  of  the  new 
empire,  and  Babylon  the  religious  capital,  or  city  of  her  tem- 
ples, gods,  and  priests. 

Profane  writers  furnish  us  with  nothing  but  some  traditions 
touching  the  history  of  these  renowned  cities,  and  the  only  re- 
liable information  we  possess  of  them  is  the  little  we  glean 
from  the  Jewish  prophets,  and  the  results  of  late  geographical 
and  archaeological  explorations. 

Nineveh,  after  flourishing  for  many  centuries  as  the  great 
city  of  the  East,  suddenly  disappeared  from  the  earth  about  seven 
centuries  before  Christ,  as  if  engulfed  by  an  earthquake,  and 
for  ages  all  traces  of  the  place  were  lost.  Herodotus,  Xeno- 
phon,  and  other  ancient  historians,  make  no  mention  of  it  ex- 
cept as  a  city  no  longer  existing.  Xerxes,  Alexander,  and  the 
Eomans,  marched  their  armies  and  fought  their  battles  over  it& 
site  without  knowing  that  the  city  lay  buried  beneath  their 
tread.  Many  persons  began  to  doubt  whether  such  a  place 
ever  did  exist ;  and  skeptics  began  sneeringly  to  inquire  of  the 
Christian,  "  Where  is  your  great  Nineveh  ?  What  do  you  think 
of  Jonah  and  his  whale  story  ?  Ah,  Jonah  was  nothing  but  a 
m}i;h — his  book  nothing  but  a  fable — no  such  city  as  Nineveh 
ever  existed."  And  some  believers  began  to  fear  the  long- 
lost  capital  of  Assyria  never  would  be  recovered,  so  literally 
was  the  prediction  concerning  it  fulfilled :  "I  will  make  Nin- 
eveh a  desolation,  and  dry  like  a  wilderness.  And  floci<& 
shall  lie  down  in  the  midst  of  her.  .  .  .  This  is  the  rejoicing 
city  that  dwelt  carelessly;  that  said  in  her  heart,  I  am,  and 
there  is  none  besides  me :  how  is  she  become  a  desolation,  a 
place  for  beasts  to  lie  down  in!  every  one  that  passeth  by  her 
shall  hiss,  and  wag  his  hand." ' 

'Zephaniah  ii,  13-16. 


408 


lilBLE    LANU8. 


Early  in  the  j^i'escnt  century  Mr.  Eicli,  an  English  traveler, 
visiting  Mosul,  on  the  Tigris,  observed  an  old  mosque  on  the 
toj)  of  a  large  mound  directly  oj^posite  the  city,  and  on  inquir- 
ing its  name,  was  told  by  the  natives  that  it  was  Neby  Yunus, 
or  tomb  of  Jonah.  Associating  Jonah  with  Nineveh,  he  at 
once  commenced  some  excavations,  and  soon  came  upon  the 
ruins  of  what  has  since  proved  to  be  the  grand  palace  of  Esar- 
haddon,  son  and  successor  of  Sennacherib.     The  walls  were  of 


ASSYRIAN    SCULPTURE WINGED    LION. 


great   thickness,  and  built  of  larg(^  sun-dried  bricks   covered 
with  mysterious  cuneiform  characters. 

This  discovery  soon  led  to  others,  of  even  greater  importance, 
by  Mr.  Botta,  the  French  Consul  at  Mosul,  and  Messrs.  Layard, 
Rassam,  and  Smith,  under  the  auspices  of  the  British  Museum. 
These  gentlemen,  with  a  strong  force,  began  their  operations  in 
the  great  mounds  at  Koyunjik,  Khorsabad,  and  Nimroud — names 
of  Arab  villages  that  have  sprung  up  over  the  ruins  of  this 


INTEKESTIXG    SCULPTLItE. 


409 


ancient  city — and  in  a  very  little  while  exhumed  the  niaw-nifi- 
cent  palaces  of  Sargon,  Sennacherib,  Sardanapalus,  and  other 
kings  of  Assyria,  with  their  wonderful  collection  of  sculptured 
slabs  in  alto  and  bass-relief,  representing  the  worship  of  their 
gods,  combats  with  wild  beasts,  battle-scenes,  and  almost  every 
event  in  their  nation's  history.  So  that  now,  after  the  lapse  of 
twenty-five  centuries,  you  can  stroll  through  the  streets  and 
palaces  of  long-lost  JS'ineveh,  see  how  royalty  lived  in  those  early 
days,  and  can  almost  fancy  you  hear  her  kings  tell  of  their  great 
exploits  fi'om  the  thrones  that  are  crumbling  with  age  beneath 
them.     In  one  sculptnre  Sennacherib  is  portrayed  w^itli  a  spear, 


KING  OF  ASSYRIA  PUTTING  OUT  THE  EYES  OF  CAPTIVES. 

cruelly  putting  out  the  eyes  of  prisoners  dragged  into  his  pres- 
ence with  cords,  and  iron  hooks  through  their  lips  or  nose.  In 
another,  we  have  pictured  the  invasion  of  Palestine,  giving  the 
very  name  of  Ilezekiah,  King  of  Judah,  together  with  the 
number  of  prisoners  and  amount  of  spoils  carried  away,  and  in 
still  another,  a  description  of  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  agreeing 
so  remarkably  with  Ezekiel's  account,  that  one  would  suppose 
the  Prophet  had  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  siege  itself.' 

•  Ezekiel  iv,  1,  2. 


410  BIBLE    LANDS. 

During  their  explorations  thej  came  upon  the  bakery  of 
King  Sargon's  palace,  and  the  old  hand-mills,  with  loaves  of 
bread  still  in  the  ovens,  baked  probably  before  Rome  was 
founded ;  and  the  wine-cellar  was  discovered  full  of  large  egg- 
shaped  pottery  jars ;  the  wine  had  all  evaporated,  leaving  a 
sediment  in  the  jars,  from  which  you  could  easily  detect  the 
odor  of  the  grape  when  the  vessels  were  filled  with  water. 
They  also  struck  upon  the  store-room,  containing  many  articles 
in  different  materials,  principally  wrought  iron,  such  as  nails, 
saws,  chains,  picks,  and  shovels,  the  latter  weighing  from 
twenty  to  thirty  pounds,  and  so  well  preserved,  they  were  put 
at  once  into  the  hands  of  the  workmen,  and  the  excavations 
carried  on  with  shovels  and  picks  forged  by  blacksmiths  cent- 
uries before  Christ  was  born.     How  marvelous  all  this  seems ! 

This  palace  consisted  of  forty-nine  halls,  cased  round  with 
sculptured  alabaster  slabs,  from  seven  to  eight  feet  high, 
above  which  the  walls  were  plastered  and  frescoed.  The 
ceilings  of  the  different  apartments  were  cedar  from  Leb- 
anon, or  blackwood  from  India,  the  floors  were  paved  with 
marble,  and  the  principal  door-ways  guarded  by  colossal, 
human-headed,  winged  bulls  or  lions,  denoting  great  strength, 
wisdom,  and  fleetness,  beautiful  symbols  of  their  divinities. 
The  gates  leading  to  the  palaces  were  bronze,  two  of  which, 
twenty-two  feet  high  and  sixteen  feet  wide,  have  lately  been 
recovered  by  Mr.  Rassam  at  Balawat,  belonging  to  the  royal 
residence  of  Shalmaneser  II.,  richly  wrought  in  low  relief,  re- 
cording among  many  other  campaigns  the  invasion  and  con- 
quest of  Israel  by  that  king  859  B.  C.  Shalmaneser  also  built 
the  north-west  palace  at  Nimroud,  in  which  was  found  the 
celebrated  black  obelisk  now  in  the  British  museum.  This 
obelisk,  which  is  seven  feet  high  and  twenty-two  inches  square 


BLACK    OBELISK. 


411 


at  its  base,  supplies  a  lost  link  in  Assyrian  liistory,  giving  a  full 
account  of  the  reign  of  Shahnaneser  II.,  who  ascended  the 
throne  about  890  B.  C. 

The  monument  bears  a  Cuneitic  inscription  of  two  hundred 
and  ten  lines,  and  is  covered  with  figures  in  bass-relief  of  men 


BLACK   OBELISK. 


and  various  animals,  but  not  very  correctly  drawn — the  rhinoc- 
eros having  hoofs  and  mane,  the  monkey's  perfect  human 
features,  and  the  camels  two  humps  on  their  backs. 

After  an  invocation  to  Assarac,  the  supreme  god  of  heaven, 
the  king  furnishes  a  record  of  his  reign  for  thirty-one  years, 


412 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


INSCRIBED    TABLET    OF    THE    DELUGE. 


comprising  an  account  of  battles  fought,  kings  conquered,  and 
cities  taken.  Among  many  other  places  mentioned,  are  Baby- 
lon, Borsippa,  Tyre,  and  Sidon  ;  and  among  his  vassal  kings, 
Jehu,  king  of  Israel,  and  Hazael,  king  of  Syria,  whom  Elijah 
anointed — confirming  in  a  remarkable  manner  the  historical 
statements  of  the  Bible. 

But  the  most  interesting  discovery  made  was  the  finding  of 
numerous  inscribed  tablets  and  cylinders  in  the  palaces  of  Sen- 


RECORDS    OF    THE    CREATION    ATN^D    DF^dOE.  413 

nacherib,  and  his  grandson  Asslnir-bani-pal,  or  Sardaiiapalus, 
opposite  Mosul.  Hundreds  of  volumes  were  liere  foaiid,  not 
written  on  paper  or  parchment,  but  in  the  curciform  character 
on  thin  bricks  or  clay  tiles  while  jet  soft,  and  tlien  biirned  hard 
in  the  kiln.  The  books  were  neatly  paged,  numbered,  cata- 
logued, and  arranged  upon  shelves  for  the  convenience  ot  the 
reader.  They  were  on  all  subjects — history,  poetry,  and  biogra- 
phy; agriculture,  religion  and  politics;  also  grammars,  arith- 
metics and  dictionaries;  legal  documents,  songs  to  their  gods, 
tables  of  cube  roots,  even  the  multiplication  table,  that  before 
this  was  supposed  to  have  originated  with  Pythagoras.  One 
work  on  astronomy  covered  seventy  tablets,  giving  the  posi- 
tion of  the  pole  star,  the  movements  of  the  comets,  and  of 
Venus  and  other  planets.  A  lil)rary  was  found  belonging  to 
one  of  the  early  kings  of  Ur  in  Chaldcea,  at  least  2,000  years 
B.  C.  Abraham  was  a  native  of  this  city,  and  here  were  the 
books  that  perhaps  the  patriarch  read  before  he  left  his  native 
land.  More  than  twenty  thousand  of  these  tablets  have  been 
recovered,  and,  what  is  very  strange,  they  all  bear  silent  wit- 
ness to  the  truth  of  God's  word ;  for  here,  on  these  earthen 
tiles,  as  well  as  on  the  gates  of  brass  and  slabs  of  marble  that 
once  adorned  these  splendid  palaces,  was  found  written  the 
whole  history  of  the  world,  from  the  creation  down  to  a  thou- 
sand years  after  the  flood,  wonderfully  confirming  the  Mosaic 
narrative ;  as  these  ancient  legends,  some  of  them  dating  back 
four  thousand  years,  must  have  originated  in  facts,  and  these 
facts  are  the  facts  of  the  Bible. 

Not  only  was  here  found  an  account  of  the  creation,  the 
deluge,  and  the  building  of  the  Tower  of  Babel,  but  of  the 
genesis  of  our  world — the  beginning,  when  "the  earth  was 
without  form  and  void;"  also,  of  the  origin  of  evil,  and  of 


414:  '         BIBLE  la:s^ds. 

man,   with  all  the  particulars  of  his  temptation,  his  fall,  the 
curse  pronounced  upon  him,  and  his  exj)uIsion  from  Paradise, 

But  what  is  most  strange,  we  find  on  these  tal)lcts  an 
account  of  the  Mannnoth,  and  other  huge  extinct  monsters, 
the  fossil  remains  of  which  have  been  such  an  enigma  to  nat- 
uralists. And  on  one  of  the  seals  we  have  a  curious  rep- 
resentation of  the  cherubim  guarding  the  tree  of  life,  on  an- 
other the  casting  of  the  dragon,  or  Lucifer,  out  of  heaven ;  and 
on  still  another  ]^oah,  in  his  ark,  floating  on  a  shoreless  sea. 
"We  also  find  on  these  cylinders  and  tablets  the  names  of  Abra- 
ham, Ishmael,  Xoah,  Enoch,  and  other  biblical  characters. 


■IiKUU}iIM    GUAUDINCi    TREE    OF    LIFE. 


These  records  further  show  that  ''  Eden "  was  the  old  and 
natural  name  of  Babylon ;  and  we  have  furnished  here  a  geo- 
graphical description  of  the  garden  in  which  the  oj^ening  scene 
of  human  history  is  laid ;  answering,  in  eveiy  respect,  the 
particulars  as  given  in  the  Scriptures,  even  to  the  names  of  the 
four  rivers  that  watered  the  garden. 

Many  of  these  clay  tablets  are  not  more  than  from  three  to 
four  inches  long,  by  two  inches  wide  and  half  an  inch  thick. 
The  writing  is  in  the  cuneiform  character,  and  in  some  instances 
so  small  they  can  only  be  read  under  a  magnifying  glass,  and 
some  such  instrument  must  have  been  used  in  their  execution. 

Thus,  after  the  lapse  of  thousands  of  years,  we  see  dug  up 


ANTIQUITY    OF    BABYLOISr.  415 

out  of  the  rubbish  of  ages,  the  royal  Kbrary  of  the  Assyrian 
kings,  written  on  slabs  of  stone,  plates  of  brass,  and  tiles  of 
burned  clay,  and  so  fully  agreeing  with  the  inspired  volume, 
that  they  seem  almost  like  a  lapidary  edition  of  the  Book 
itself.  And  it  would  almost  seem  as  if  this  ancient  city  had 
been  allowed  to  remain  entombed  through  so  many  centuries 
solely  to  confound  the  folly  of  modern  skepticism. 

Babylon,  though  first  mentioned  in  connection  with  Nineveh, 
was  probably  founded  before  the  flood,  as  the  name  signifies 
*'  the  gate   of  God,''   or  more  properly,  "  the  gate-way  to    the 


EXPULSION  OF  LUCIFER  OUT  OF  HEAVKN 

garden  of  God,"  and  it  more  than  likely  covered  the  site  of 
the  garden  of  Eden.  It  was  only  rebuilt  by  Nimrod,  grand- 
son of  Ham,  "  the  beginning  of  whose  kingdom  was  Babel," ' 
a  name  w^ith  which  Babylon  became  confounded  after  the  con- 
fusion of  tongues. 

This  famous  city— the  capital  of  Shinar  or  Chaldsea — was 
greatly  enlarged  and  beautified  by  Semiramis  and  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. Herodotus  and  other  ancient  historians  describe  it  as 
a  vast  city  situated  on  both  banks  of  the  Euphrates,  inclosed 
"with  double  walls  of  great  height  and  thickness.      The  two 

'  Genesis  x,  10. 


416  BIBLE    LANDS. 

portions  of  the  city  were  connected  by  a  brid^^e  half  a  railo 
long  spanning  the  river,  also  by  a  tunnel  under  the  river  bed, 
traces  of  which  still  remain.  Eccent  researches  show  that 
these  statements  in  reference  to  the  extent  and  magnificence 
of  Babylon  were  not  exaggerations. 

Mr.  llassam,  so  long  connected  with  explorations  in  the  East, 
has  lately  made  some  valuable  discoveries  on  the  site  of  this 
ancient  city.  lie  has  succeeded  in  identifying  the  grand  palace 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  in  connection  therewith  found  the  re- 
mains of  the  celebrated  hanging  gardens,  erected  by  that  king 
to  please  his  Median  queen  :  great  mounds  of  earth  thrown  up 
in  terraces  on  stone  piers;  wells,  reservoirs,  and  aqueducts, 
used  doubtless  in  irrigating  the  gardens ;  ponderous  masses  of 
black  basaltic  rock,  to  represent  mountain  scenery,  which  must 
have  been  floated  down  the  river  from  the  hills  of  Armenia, 
together  with  inscriptions  and  numerous  other  articles,  proving 
beyond  doubt  that  this  was  the  imperial  palace  of  Babylon's 
greatest  king. 

Among  the  many  interesting  discoveries  made  here  were  the 
dens  where  the  wild  beasts  were  kept,  and  a  sculptured  colossa'l 
lion  in  basalt,  about  thirteen  feet  long  and  ten  high,  standing 
over  a  prostrate  man,  supposed  to  represent  Daniel  in  the  lions' 
den.  There  is  a  band  around  the  jaws  of  the  lion  like  a  muz- 
zle, indicating,  perhaps,  that  the  angel  "  shut  the  i  ion's  mouth.'"  * 
And  in  the  mound  of  Birs-Nimrud,  the  supposed  site  of  the 
Tower  of  Babel,  Mr.  llassam  found  the  remains  of  several 
richly  decorated  chambers.  The  painting  was  on  plastered 
walls  and  enameled  bricks  of  beautiful  design.  This  able 
explorer  also  discovered  the  palace  and  banqueting  hall  of  Bel- 
shazzar,  the  roof  of  which  was  Indian  blackwood,  supported  by 

I  Daniel  vi,  22 


FULFrLL:\[ENT    OF    PROPHECY.  417 

T\[(isjiic  colnmns  and  pillars  of  enameled  bricks.  This  rich 
liall  was  probably  the  same  in  which  the  king  gave  the  great 
feast  to  his  thousand  lords,  and  saw  the  mysterious  writing  on 
the  wall,  the  night  he  was  slain,*  B.  C.  539.  It  has  been 
asserted  that  no  such  king  ever  reigned  at  Babylon,  his  name 
not  appearing  in  profane  history;  but  tablets  have  lately'  been 
found  here  bearing  the  identical  name  of  "  Belshazzer,  Idng 
of  the  Chaldaeans." 

This  was  Babylon's  last  king.  The  Modes  under  Cyrus, 
after  a  two  years'  siege,  that  night  entered  the  city.  It  was 
afterward  taken  by  Alexander,  who  removed  the  seat  of  em- 
pire to  Seleucia.  "And  Babylon,  the  glory  of  kingdoms,  the 
beauty  of  the  Clialdees'  excellency,"  passed  forever  away. 
And  according  to  Isaiah's  prediction,  "It  shall  never  be  inhab- 
ited, neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  generation  to  generation ; 
neither  shall  the  Arabian  pitch  his  tent  there ;  neither  shall 
the  shepherds  make  their  fold  there.  But  wild  beasts  of  the 
desert  shall  lie  there ;  and  their  houses  shall  be  full  of  doleful 
creatures;  and  owls  shall  dwell  there,  and  satyrs  shall  dance 
there.  And  the  wild  beasts  of  the  islands  shall  cry  in  their 
desolate  houses,  and  dragons  in  their  pleasant  palaces."  * 

What  Layard,  Rassam,  and  Smith  have  done  for  Nineveh 
and  Babylon,  General  Cesnola  has  done  for  Cyprus,  the 
Chittim  of  Scripture.  lie  has  identified  eight  ancient  cities, 
explored  fifteen  temples  and  over  sixty  thousand  tombs ;  and 
has  found  in  these  tombs  and  temples  twenty  thousand  vases, 
busts,  and  statues  in  marble  and  terra-cotta ;  three  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  nineteen  glass  vases  and  bottles;  sixteen 
hundred  articles  in  gold,  silver,  and  bronze,  some  of  beautiful 
workmanship ;  two  solid  gold  armlets,  weighing  two  pounds 

'  Daniel  v,  30.  » Isaiah  xiii,  19-22. 

27 


418  BIBLE    LANDS. 

each,  belonging  to  the  king  of  Taphos;  a  great  variety  oi 
rings,  necklaces,  and  bracelets,  some  like  serpents,  others  with 
the  head  of  Medusa.  He  also  found  the  name  of  the  procon- 
sul, Paulus,  probably  Sergius  Paulus,  one  of  Paul's  converts, 
and  governor  of  Cyprus  at  the  time  of  the  apostle's  visit.' 

This  island  was  lirst  settled  by  the  Phoenicians,  afterward 
held  successively  by  the  Assyrians,  Egyptians,  Greeks,  Romans, 
and  Turks,  and  is  now  an  Enghsh  colony,  having  lately  been 
ceded  to  Great  Britain  by  the  Sultan  of  Turkey. 

Other  explorations  have  been  made  at  Sus,  or  Susa,  the 
Shushan  of  Scripture  and  royal  residence  of  the  Persian  Icings, 
situated  on  the  river  Eulaeus,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  north  of  the  Persian  Gulf.  General  Wilhams  and  Mr. 
Loftus,  in  their  excavations  on  the  site  of  this  old  capital  of 
ancient  Elam,  found  the  citadel  and  other  extensive  remains, 
among  them  the  supposed  palace  of  Ahasuerus,  the  Xerxes  of 
history.  This  ruin  stands  on  a  raised  platform  of  sun-dried 
bricks,  covering  sixty  acres  and  seventy  feet  high.  The  walls, 
being  of  sunburnt  brick,  have  all  crumbled  to  dust,  but  the 
bases  of  seventy-two  richly-carved  pillars,  together  with  many 
other  pieces  of  sculpture,  have  been  recovered. 

The  palace  was  a  pavilion  very  similar  to  that  at  Perscpolis, 
consisting  of  a  grand  central  hall  or  inner  court,  two  hundred 
feet  square,  paved  with  colored  marble,  the  roof  of  which  was 
supported  by  thirty-six  beautiful  marble  columns  over  sixty 
feet  high.  This  hall  was  inclosed  on  three  sides  by  wide  colon- 
nades or  porches,  in  which  Ahasuerus  gave  his  public  recep- 
tions. The  "inner  court"  was  where  he  held  his  private 
audiences,  and  probably  where  Queen  Esther  went  "in  unto 
the  Idng,"  to  intercede  for  her  people."     The  great  feast  was 

'  Acts  xiii,  7.  '  Esther  iv,  16. 


OTHER    IMPORTANT    DISCOVERIES.  419 

given  "  in  the  gardens  of  the  king's  palace,"  or  the  courts  sur- 
rounding the  j)alaco.  "  The  king's  gate,"  where  Mordecai  sat, 
was  a  hall  one  liundred  feet  square  that  stood  about  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  front  of  the  main  entrance. 

The  city  is  now  entirely  deserted,  save  by  lions,  wolves, 
jackals,  and  other  wild  beasts,  which  find  here  a  safe  hiding- 
place,  and  hold  their  nightly  carnivals  in  the  courts  of  the 
renowned  king  who  "  reigned  from  India  even  unto  Ethiopia," 
and  commanded  the  largest  army  ever  marshaled  on  earth. 
The  reputed  tombs  of  Daniel,  Esther,  and  Mordecai  are  still 
pointed  out  near  this  the  scene  of  their  labors  and  death. 

Equally  important  discoveries  are  being  made  in  Palestine. 
In  a  former  chapter  we  gave  an  account  of  the  finding  of  the 
"  King's  Highway,"  over  which  the  Israelites,  after  passing 
the  wilderness,  entered  Canaan.  It  is  a  paved  road,  with  side 
walls,  and  can  easily  be  traced  from  "  the  city  that  stood  in  the 
midst  of  the  river,"  at  the  "  fords  of  Anion,"  through  Aroer 
to  Ileshbon  and  Kebo.  Dibon,  once  the  capital  of  Moab,  and 
where  the  celebrated  Mesha  stone  was  found,  was  situated  on 
this  highway,  and  just  now  is  the  center  of  considerable  inter- 
est from  reports  that  other  similar  stones  have  been  discovered 
near  there,  during  the  last  year.  It  is  also  in  this  neighborhood 
that  the  unique  Moabite  pottery  is  found,  about  which  there 
has  been  such  a  sharp  controversy  among  antiquarians.  Per- 
sonally, we  have  no  doubt  concerning  the  genuineness  of  these 
articles,  but  are  not  disposed  to  discuss  the  question  here.  The 
savants  of  Europe  are  at  work  npon  the  inscriptions,  and  the 
result  of  their  investigations  will  shortly  be  made  known. 
We,  however,  are  fully  satisfied  from  what  has  already  been 
deciphered,  that  the  discovery  will  shed  much  additional  light 
upon  many  obscure  portions  of  Old  Testament  liistory. 


420 


BIBLE    LAXDS. 


The  collection  thus  far  made  consists  of  about  fifteen  thou- 
sand kihi-bnrnt  urns,  idols,  vases,  tablets,  and  other  articles,  many 
of  them  small  images  and  coins ;  and,  what  is  remarkable,  no 
two  are  alike,  excej^t  in  this  one  particular,  thej  all  have  seven 
indentations  upon  them,  symbolical  of  something  mysterious. 

Generally  they  are  rudely  made,  and  some  of  them  indecent, 
but  this  was  peculiar  to  the  worship  of  Peor,  the  favorite  god- 
dess of  the   Moabites.     Perhaps  one  thousand  of  the  larger 


^/ 


MOABITE    VASE,  WITH    INSCRIPTION. 


articles  bear  inscriptions  in  Greek  or  Phcenician  characters. 
These  characters  appear  to  be  divided  into  four  or  more  sys- 
tems, belonging  to  as  many  ages  and  dialects.  In  addition  to  the 
Greek  alphabet  there  are  several  irregular  letters,  the  meaning- 
of  which  has  not  yet  been  determined.  About  one  third  of  the 
characters  are  uniform  in  all  the  systems,  and  identical  with 
those  on  the  famous  Moabite  stone. 


THE    LEVITICAL    CITIES.  421 

We  have  before  us,  belonging  to  this  collection,  an  urn  six- 
teen and  a  half  inches  high,  without  the  base,  which  has  been 
broken  off,  and  seven  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  found  in  a 
cave  near  Ileshbon,  not  far  from  Beth-Peor.  It  appears,  so  far 
as  we  are  capable  of  judging,  to  have  been  a  votive  offering, 
probably  filled  with  wine  or  oil,  and  presented  to  the  god  Taad 
— corresponding  to  the  Eg}^tian  Thoth— the  god  of  letters,  by 
a  person  named  Ilasak  or  Ilezekiah,  with  the  prayer  that  Taad 
would  remember  and  bless  him,  and  all  the  gods  protect 
him.  It  has  on  it  sixty  raised  characters,  about  two  inches 
long,  arranged  in  five  lines  extending  entirely  round  the 
vase.' 

Abu  Shusheh,  about  four  miles  south-east  of  Eamleh,  has 
lately  been  identified  as  the  ancient  Levitical  city  of  Gezer,  re- 
taken from  the  Philistines  by  Pharaoh,  King  of  Egypt,  and 
given  to  his  daughter,  Solomon's  wife.  The  boundaries  of  the 
forty-eight  cities  set  apart  for  the  sons  of  Levi  have  long  been 
a  subject  of  controversy.  Last  summer,  in  visiting  this  place, 
my  attention  was  called  to  two  large  stones  with  inscriptions 
upon  them  in  old  Hebrew  and  Greek  characters;  the  letters 
were  about  nine  inches  long,  and  deeply  cut  in  the  horizontal 
face  of  the  native  limestone  rock  where  it  cropped  out  of  the 
-ground.  According  to  Mr.  Clermont-Ganneau,  and  other 
archreologists,  the  inscriptions  read  :  "  The  limits,  or  boundary, 
of  Gezer,"  and  these  old  land-marks  were  no  doubt  intended 
to  define  the  outer  boundary  of  the  city  suburbs. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  stones  are  no  longer  in  their 
original  position,  the  Turkish  authorities  having  removed  them 
'to  Constantinople. 

This  discovery  will  go  far  toward  fixing  the  standard  of  the 

'  This  vase  is  now  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  New  York. 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


i 

^ffr^ 

m 

B., 

H 

'i^B 

^S 

OLD    HEBKEW    INSCRIPTIONS. 


Jewish  cubit,  and  in  determining  tlie  shape  and  extent  of  the 
suburbs  of  the  Levitical  cities. 

The  cities  themselves  being  among  those  taken  from  the 
former  occupants  of  the  country,  were  more  tlian  likely  of  dif- 
ferent dimensions,  no  two,  pei-haps,  alike.  Some  may  have 
been  square,  others  round.  The  limit  of  the  inner  suburb  was 
one  thousand  cubits  from  the  wall  "  round  about ; "  this  may 
have  been  circular.  The  outer  precincts  were  two  thousand 
cubits  beyond  the  inner,  east,  west,  north,  and  south,  or,  accord- 


THE    LEVITICAL    CITIES. 


423 


ing  to  the  Hebrew  text,  "  to  the  east  corner  two  thousand  cu- 
bits." '  So  the  boundary  of  the  outlying  fields  could  not  have 
been  circular,  but  angular.  The  suburbs  did  not  measure  three 
thousand  cubits  in  all  directions ;  only  the  angles  at  the  four 
cardinal  points,  the  sides  being  diagonal.     The  first  thousand 


WEST    COBNEB. 


3,000    CUBITS. 

BAST    COBNEB. 


TLAX  OF  LEVITICAL  CITIES. 


cubits  were  to  be  measured  "  from  the  wall  of  the  city,"  not 
from  the  center  of  it,  the  city  being  "  in  the  midst." 

A  discovery  of  some  intferest  has  also  been  made  at  Gaza,  in 
the  old  mosque  of  that  city,  which  was  once  a  Jewish  syna- 

'  Numbers  xxxv,  3-4. 


424  BIBLE   LANDS. 

gogue.  On  one  of  the  marble  columns  of  this  mosque  is  a 
beautifully  executed  model  of  the  golden  candlestick  of  the 
Temple.  It  resembles  very  much  tlie  one  on  the  arch  of  Titus 
at  Eome ;  only  this  one  is  surrounded  with  a  wreath,  as  if- 
trimmed  for  some  festive  occasion,  perhaps  tlie  feast  of  taber- 
nacles. It  has  the  seven  branches  with  candles  rej^resented  as 
burning  in  the  sockets.  The  knife  of  sacrilice  hangs  from  one 
of  the  branches,  and  some  other  instrument  from  another  branch 
oil  the  opposite  side.  The  name  of  Eabbi  II  anna,  son  of  Yo- 
gepli—Jolm,  the  son  of  Joseph— in  old  Hebrew,  is  inscribed 
below  on  the  same  column. 

A  few  months  since,  a  peasant  man  found  near  Ekron,  five 
miles  south-west  of  Ramleh,  on  the  great  maritime  Plain  of 
Pliilistia,  a  stone  seal  about  one  inch  sfpuire  on  the  face,  bearing 
a  jjeculiar  device,  and  which  I  purchased  for  a  trifle,  not  consid- 
ering it  of  any  great  value.  Since  then  many  antiquarians,  to 
whom  impressions  Avere  sent,  have  pronounced  the  device  an 
image  of  Beelzebub,  the  great  Fly  god,  and  the  only  one  ever 
discovered,  lie  is  represented  as  a  man  of  the  Assyrian  type, 
with  short  bcai-d  and  four  wings.  In  his  hands  he  holds  two 
apes  or  monkeys,  denoting,  perhaps,  his  office  as  "  Prince  of 
devils,"  apes  being  sometimes  translated  devils  in  the  Script- 
ures.' Beelzebub  was  the  principal  deity  of  the  Philistines, 
and  is  frequently  referred  to  in  the  New  Testament.  We  are 
also  informed  that  when  Ahaziah,  King  of  Israel,  fell  from  his 
palace  window  in  Samaria  and  was  fatally  injured,  he  sent  to 
this  god  at  Ekron,  to  inquire  whether  he  should  recover  or 
die.  We,  however,  have  never  before  been  able  to  form  a  cor- 
rect idea  of  the  figure  of  this  celebrated  deity.  The  name 
signifies  Fly -god,  or  destroyer  of  flies,  a  generic  term  applicable 

'  Deuteronomy  xxxii,  17. 


IMAGE    OF    BEELZEBUB.  425 

to  all  winged  insects,  as  flies,  gnats,  locnsts,  mosquitoes,  and 
the  like,  wliicli  have  always  been  the  plague  of  the  Orient. 

It  has  generally  been  supposed  that  this  god  was  worshiped 
under  the  symbol  of  a  fly,  others  argued  for  the  beetle  or  scara- 
beus  ;  but  Beelzebub,  you  will  observe,  was  an  oracular  divinity, 
so  must  have  been  represented  in  the  human  form,  as  man  is 
the  only  creature  endowed  with  the  gift  of  speech. 

And  may  not  this  deity  answer  to  "  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,"  referred  to  by  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephe- 
sians  ? '     Beelzebub  was  regarded  as  the  god  of  all  the  insects 


that  fly  in  the  air,  and  the  ignorant  Philistines  in  their  worship 
sought  to  secure  his  favor  under  the  impression  that  he  only 
could  protect  them  from  the  fearful  plague  of  flies,  locusts,  and 
grasshoppers,  so  common  in  the  East ;  the  visitation  of  which 
was  generally  followed  by  famine  and  pestilence,  translated  in 
some  instances  demon  or  destroyer  in  the  Scriptures.  This 
view  appears  more  rational  than  to  suppose  the  air  we  breathe 
to  be  swarming  with  evil  spirits 

'  Ephesians  ii,  2  ;  Mark  iii,  22. 

^  This  seal  is  still  in  possession  of  the  author,  who  has  refused  a  large  sum 
offered  for  it  by  the  British  Museum,  it  beins;  the  only  image  of  Beelzebub  thus 
far  discovered.     It  was  probably  used  for  sealing  the  oracles  of  this  god. 


426  BIBLE    LANDS. 

An  order  was  recently  issncd  by  the  Sultan  for  removing  the 
old  walls,  and  dismantling  the  fortifications  of  Jaffa.  In  cut- 
ting a  gate  through  a  water  battery  at  an  angle  of  the  sea  wall, 
built  by  Vespasian,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  reputed  house 
of  Simon  the  tanner,  the  workmen  came  upon  three  oval-shaped 
tanners'  vats,  hewn  out  of  the  natural  rock,  and  lined  with 
Roman  cement,  down  very  near  the  sea,  and  similar  in  every 
respect  to  those  in  use  eighteen  centuries  ago.  There  is  also 
a  freshwater  spring  flowing  from  the  cliff  close  by,  long  known 
as  the  Taimers'  Spring. 

This  discovery,  at  least,  proves  that  the  house  on  the  rocky 
bluff  above,  from  which  steps  lead  down  to  the  vats,  must 
have  beloTigedto  some  tanner;  and,  as  it  is  not  likely  more  than 
one  of  tliat  trade  would  be  living  in  so  small  a  place  as  Jaffa, 
this,  in  all  probability,  is  the  identical  spot  where  the  house  of 
Simon  stood,  with  whom  Peter  was  sojourning  when  lie  saw 
his  wonderful  vision,  and  received  the  servants  of  Cornelius, 
who  came  all  the  way  from  Ciesarea  to  have  the  apostle  visit 
their  master  in  that  city.  A  cedar  beam  was  also  found  under 
a  section  of  the  wall,  deeply  imbedded  in  the  sand,  showing 
that  this  was  probably  the  very  port  where  Solomon  landed  the 
timber  and  marble  for  his  gorgeous  temple  on  Moriah. 

Another  interesting  discovery  has  just  been  made  by  the  Pal- 
estine Exploration  Society.  It  will  be  remembered,  that  after 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  the  city  was  rebuilt  by 
order  of  the  Emperor  Hadrian,  and  the  name  changed  to  ^lia 
Capitolina,  in  honor  of  himself.  This  emperor  also,  to  com- 
memorate his  victory  over  the  Jews  and  the  overthrow  of  their 
religion  erected  a  grand  temple  on  Mount  Moriah,  which  he 
dedicated  to  Jupiter,  placing  therein  a  beautiful  marble  statue 
of  himself. 


HEAD    OF    THE    Y.M.'./AO'.l    HADIHAX. 


42: 


Lately  a  poor  peasant,  cli<>:ging-  among  the  rubbish  in  the  old 
road-bed,  just  outside  the  Damascus  gate,  near  the  Tomb  of  the 
Kings,  came  upon  what  appears  to  be  the  head  of  this  celebrated 
statue.  The  physiognomy  01  Hadrian  is  striking,  and  there  is 
httle  difficulty  in  identifying  liis  statue  by  the  rather  low  fore- 
head, Roman  nose,  crisp  beard,  curved  eyelids,  stern  look,  and 
curled  nuistache,  all  of  which  are  here  clearly  defined.  M. 
Clermont-Ganneau,  and  other  archaeologists,  consider  this  the 


head  of  the  identical  statue  of  the  great  emperor,  which  origin- 
ally stood  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Capitolinus,  erected  on  the 
site  of  the  once  magnificent  temple  of  Solomon, 

The  statue  had  been  broken  into  fragments,  its  head  used  as 
a  common  paving-stone,  and  when  found  was  lying  in  the 
highway,  face   downward,  where    for  centuries  it   had   been 


42 S  BIBLE    LANDS. 

trampled  in  the  dust  by  almost  every  donkey,  camel,  and  pil- 
grim that  entered  the  gates  of  Zion! 

How  strangely  God  brings  to  naught  the  designs  of  wicked 
men  !  This  emperor  sought  to  obliterate  all  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  and  his  worship;  blotted  out  the  very  name  of  the 
holy  city ;  piled  up  mountains  of  earth  over  the  tomb  of  Christ ; 
built  pagan  temples  on  Calvary  and  Moriah,  and  set  np  his  own 
image  in  the  most  sacred  place  to  receive  the  homage  due  only 
to  God.  AH  which  seems  to  have  transpired  but  yesterday  in 
the  history  of  our  race.  To-day,  in  clearing  away  the  ruins 
of  the  past,  we  find  the  mutilated  head  of  the  conqueror  of 
the  Jews,  with  the  laurel  and  eagle  still  upon  his  brow,  and 
the  imperial  expression  in  his  eye,  but  his  power  and  glory 
forever  gone.  To-day  Hadrian  only  lives  in  history,  his  beau- 
tiful tomb  in  Kome  is  the  Castle  of  St.  Angelo ;  his  marble 
sarcophagus  is  the  baptismal  font  in  St.  Peter's,  and  Jupiter, 
his  favorite  deity,  is  without  a  temple,  priest,  or  worshiper,  on 
the  face  of  the  whole  earth ;  wliile,  on  the  other  hand,  for 
every  fragment  of  Jehovah's  temple  demolished  by  this  em- 
peror, a  Christian  church  has  sprung  up  somewhere  in  the 
earth,  and  to-day  millions  of  devout  hearts  crowd  the  courts 
of  the 'Lord's  house  in  every  land,  to  join  in  doxologies  of 
praise  to  "Him  whose  dominion  is  universal,  and  of  whose 
kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 

These,  and  other  discoveries  which  are  almost  daily  made  in 
the  sites  of  cities  and  places  not  hitherto  identified,  help  very 
much  to  settle  long-disputed  points,  go  far  toward  estabUshing 
the  inspired  record,  and  add  greatly  to  the  interest  taken  in 
biblical  rcbcarchcs. 


m    ^'-K 


jWM 


Ms, 


'«/ 


CHAPTER  IX. 

IIOJIEWARD      BOUND. 

Impressions  on  leaving  Jerusalem — Old  City  of  Damascus — Turkish  Bath — Great 
Mosque — Baalbec  by  Moonlight — Cedars  of  Lebanon — Ruins  of  Ephesus — 
Temple  of  Diana — Classic  Athens — Vestiges  of  Ancient  Greece — Ilome  again. 

IN  leaving  Jerusalem,  after  a  residence  of  four  years,  we  ex- 
perienced the  saddest  feelings.  It  was  like  parting  with 
f.oine  long-cherished  friend,  and  ])ainful  to  tear  ourselves  away. 
Our  heads  were  continually  turning  and  looking  back  to  catcli, 
if  possible,  another  and  still  another  view  of  the  Holy  City. 
Even  when  miles  away,  we  found  ourselves  standing  up  in  our 
stirrups,  stretching  our  necks  and  straining  our  eyes  in  hopes  of 
getting  yet  another  glimpse.  And  when,  near  Bethel,  we  saw 
for  the  last  time  the  "  Dome  of  the  Rock  "  on  the  summit  of 
Moriah,  it  was  like  taking  a  last  look  of  the  old  homestead  or 
of  a  beloved  parent.  Crossing  the  Jordan  at  Damieh,  and  tak- 
ing on  our  route  Jcrash,  Bozrali,  Edrei,  and  other  famous  stone 
cities  of  Bashan  and  the  Ilauran,  after  many  adventures,  but 
nothing  serious,  we  safely  reached  the  old  city  of  Damascus. 

The  history  of  this  city  dates  back  very  near  the  Flood.  It 
is  supposed,  by  some,  to  cover  the  site  of  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
and  to  have  been  founded  by  Uz,  the  great-grandson  of  Noah. 
It  must  have  been  a  place  of  importance  in  the  days  of  Abra- 
ham, whose  steward  was  "  Eliczcr  of  Damascus,"  and  according 
to  Josephus,  Abraham  himself  at  one  time  was  a  reigning 
prince  of  this  city.     It  certainly  is  among  the  oldest  cities  on 

our  globe,  and,  what  is  remarkable,  has  flourished  under  every 

.31 


432 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


dynasty,  and  is  still  the  largest  city  in  Syria.  Beautifully  situ- 
ated on  the  banks  of  the  Abana  and  Pharpar  rivers,  in  the 
midst  of  luxuriant  gardens,  it  may  very  appropriately  be  called 
"the  pearl  of  the  East." 

Our  first  stroll  was  through  the  crooked  ''street  called 
Straight,"  by  the  house  of  Judas,  and  Ananias,  and  out  of  the 
eastern  ffate,  where  we  were   shown   the   traditional   site   of 


Naaman's  house,  and  where  Paul  was  let  down  over  the  wall. 
But  to  me,  the  most  interesting  ol)ject  was  the  Great  Mosque, 
eleven  hundred  feet  long  and  eight  hundred  wide — the  largest 
house  of  worship  in  the  world,  except  the  noble  sanctuary  at 
Jerusalem,  originally  a  pagan  temple,  then  a  Christian  church 
dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  said  to  contain  his  head 
in  a  casket  of  gold — novr  a  Mohammedan  mosque.     Over  one 


TUKKISII    CATII. 


433 


of  the  grand  entrances  to  this  temple,  now  closed,  may  still  be 
seen  the  very  singular  Greek  inscrijDtion,  "  Thy  kingdom,  O 
Christ,  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  thy  dominion  endnreth 
throughout  all  generations."  This  prophetic  inscription  has 
stood  here  since  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity,  and  over  the 
portals  of  Islamism  for  these  twelve  hundred  years. 

Xever  having  taken  a  Turkish  bath,  several  of  us  one  morning 
concluded  to  test  this  Oriental  luxury.  On  entering  the  estab- 
lishment, we  were  met  by  two  turljaned  Turks  evaporated  into 


mere  skin  and  bones,  and  conducted  to  an  elevated  platform 
where  we  were  requested  to  undress.  From  here  we  were 
taken  from  apartment  to  apartment,  each  one  hotter  and  hot- 
ter, until  respiration  became  difficult,  and  a  peculiar  sensation 
of  suffocation  came  over  me.  Yery  soon  we  were  ushered  into 
a  small  oven-shaped  room,  feehng  hot  enough  to  roast  a  man, 
and  stretched  out  on  its  heated  marble  floor,  the  perspiration 
oozing  profusely  from  every  pore,  as  if  the  whole  body  were 

dissolving.     After  this  we  were  drenched,  at  intervals,  with 
28 


434  BISLE   LANDS. 

pails  of  hot  water  thrown  over  our  shoulders,  the  steam  filling 
the  room  and  ahuost  par-boiling  us.  I^ext,  in  came  a  gaunt, 
raw-boned  Arab,  looking  as  if  all  commiseration  had  been 
stewed  out  of  him,  and  with  brush  and  soap-suds  began  scrub- 
bing our  tender,  half-cooked  bodies  at  a  fearful  rate,  fairly 
taking  the  flesh  from  our  bones.  This  process  of  steaming, 
scraping,  scrubbing,  was  kept  up  for  perhaps  half  an  hour; 
when,  blind  from  the  soap  in  our  eyes,  faint  from  the  exces- 
sive heat,  sore  from  the  unmerciful  scouring,  and  provoked 
at  our  own  folly  in  submitting  to  such  vile  treatment,  we 
were  taken  into  another  apartment  and  plunged  into  a  bath 
up  to  our  chins,  hotter  if  possible,  than  any  thing  we  had 
yet  experienced.  Never  did  mortals  suffer  more  in  the  same 
length  of  time  than  we  poor  wretches  in  that  seething  caldron. 
Taken  from  this  vat,  we  were  wrapped  in  winding  sheets  and 
laid  out  on  marble  slabs  to  cool,  as  if,  sure  enough,  they 
intended  us  for  immediate  burial ;  and  really,  if  this  process 
had  continued  much  longer,  we  would  soon  have  been  fit  sub- 
jects for  the  tomb.  Finally,  after  more  rubbing,  rolling,  and 
thumping,  we  were  conducted  back  to  the  room  we  first  en- 
tered, stretched  out  on  Turkish  divans,  regaled  with  Turkish 
coffee,  fumigated  with  Turkish  tobacco  until  our  eyes  began  to 
swim  as  in  some  dreamy  state,  from  which  we  were  soon 
aroused  by  our  sharpened  appetites  clamoring  for  something 
more  substantial  than  smoke  and  vapor.  So  off  we  hastened  to 
our  tents,  reaching  them  just  in  time  for  a  good  breakfast, 
thoroughly  satisfied  and  disgusted  with  the  Turkish  bath. 

About  midway  between  this  and  Beirut,  on  the  high  plain 
between  the  two  ranges  of  the  Lebanons,  are  the  ruins  of  Baal- 
bec,  in  some  respects  the  subhmest  works  ever  executed  by  the 
genius  of  man.     Nothing  in  Greece,  Rome,  or  Egypt  can  com- 


EUINS    OF    BAALBEC.  437 

pare  with  them.  Here,  on  a  vast  platform  nine  hundred  feet 
long  and  five  hundred  wide,  standing  thirty  feet  above  the 
plain,  and  supported  by  a  wall  of  immense  stones,  the  largest 
sixty-nine  feet  long,  fifteen  feet  thick,  and  seventeen  feet  ^vdde, 
are  the  remains  of  two  magnificent  temples,  one  dedicated  to 
Baal,  and  the  other  to  Jupiter,  the  most  perfect  niins  in  the 
world — single  columns  seventy-five  feet  high  and  twenty-one 
feet  in  circumference,  surmounted  by  an  entablature  fifteen 
feet  high,  all  of  exquisite  workmanship.  The  eastern  door-way 
to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  is  forty-two  feet  high  in  the  clear,  and 
twenty-one  feet  wide,  with  massive  pilasters  richly  carved. 
The  key-stone  of  this  portal  weighs  sixty  tons,  and  on  it  is 
sculptured  the  symbol  of  Jupiter,  power  and  dominion — an 
eagle  soaring  among  the  stars,  grasping  in  his  talons  the  thun- 
derbolts of  Jove.  The  eagle  on  the  standard  of  our  counti-y 
was  taken  from  this  Roman  symbol,  and  I  suppose  but  for 
this  sculpture  over  the  entrance  to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  at 
Baalbec  we  never  would  have  had  a.nj  spread-eagle  speeches 
in  America.  Our  tents  were  pitched  in  the  very  center  of  this 
grand  ruin,  the  history  of  which  is  lost  in  the  misty  past,  and 
we  were  permitted  to  eat  and  sleep  and  dream  in  this  gorgeous 
temple  of  the  sun.  The  night  was  clear  and  warm,  and  we 
enjoyed  the  rare  privilege  of  seeing  Baalbec  by  moonlight. 
The  effect  was  very  fine ;  our  own  shadows  seemed  to  people 
anew  the  place,  and  as  we  wandered  from  temple  to  temple 
over  broken  columns  and  crumbling  walls,  we  could  almost 
fancy  we  saw  the  old  fire-worshij)ers  in  their  midnight  orgies 
again. 

In  visiting  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  from  Baalbec,  we  crossed 
the  broad  rich  plain  of  Buka'a,  nearly  four  thousand  feet  above 
the  ocean  level,  and  in  two  hours  began  ascending  the  lower 


438 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


CEDARS    OF    LEBANO> 


spurs  of  the  mountain,  and  in  two  hours  more  were  at  'Ain 
'Ata,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night.  After  pitching  our 
tents  we  retired  early,  hoping  to  enjoy  a  comfortable  night's 
rest ;  but  about  midnight  a  furious  hurricane  suddenly  struck 
our  camp,  blowing  down  our  tents  and  leaving  us  exposed  to 
the  peltings  of  the  pitiless  storm.  The  next  morning,  half 
frozen,  we  continued  our  journey,  and  aft6r  three  hours'  hard 


CEDARS    OF    LEBANON.  439 

climbing  by  a  rocky,  tortuous  path  over  fields  of  snow  and  the 
highest  ranges  of  Lebanon,  when  near  the  summit  wc  encoun- 
tered another  fearful  storm  of  wind,  rain  and  hail.  The  thun- 
der shook  the  very  mountain  beneath  us,  bringing  down  great 
avalanches  across  our  path.  The  hghtnings  shot  forth  their 
fiery  fangs  like  enormous  serpents.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents. 
Our  horses  refused  to  face  the  storm,  and  all  we  could  do  was 
to  turn  our  backs  to  the  blast  and  wait  until  it  had  spent  its 
fury.  Cold,  wet,  hungry,  almost  dead,  we  reached  the  famous 
cedars,  so  celebrated  in  sacred  history,  about  nightfall,  greatly 
enjoying  the  dinner  and  warm  fire  that  awaited  our  arrival. 

This  grove  covers  a  knoll  six  thousand  three  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea,  at  the  head  of  the  Kadisha  River,  on  the  verge 
of  perpetual  snow ;  thus  crowning  with  glory  the  summit  of 
the  vegetable  world !  There  are  not  more  than  four  hundred 
trees  in  this  collection,  mostly  small,  the  twelve  largest,  known 
as  the  twelve  patriarchs,  are  from  thirty  to  forty  feet  in  circum- 
ference, and  about  one  hundred  feet  high.  Other  groves  have 
recently  been  discovered  to  the  north  and  south,  one  back  of 
Sidon,  very  beautiful ;  and  no  doubt  the  whole  mountain,  at 
one  time,  was  covered  with  these  goodly  trees.  But  Hiram's 
thirty  thousand  men,  and  the  ravages  of  three  thousand  yeare, 
have  made  sad  havoc  among  them,  and  the  wonder  is  that  any 
remain  to  this  day.  The  wood  is  of  a  close-grained,  firm  text- 
ure, very  durable,  and  in  appearance  resembles  our  white-pine. 
Anciently  it  was  used  only  by  royalty  and  for  rehgious  pur- 
poses. The  great  image  of  Diana,  at  Ephesus,  and  the  oldest 
idol  in  Egypt,  were  of  cedar.  The  palace  of  King  David 
was  "a  house  of  cedar,"  and  the  wood-work  of  the  grand 
temples  of  Solomon,  Apollo,  and  Diana,  were  of  the  same 
material. 


440 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


These  trees  are  called  in  the  Scriptures,  "  The  trees  of  the 
Lord,  .  .  .  which  he  hath  planted," '  and  they  belong  exclu- 
sively to  Lebanon — are  indigenous  to  no  other  part  of  the 
world.     "  No  other  tree  was  like  unto  them  for  beauty."    And 


in  the  poetic  language  of  Ezeldel,  "  All  the  trees  of  Eden,  that 
were  in  the  garden  of  God,  envied"  them.'  Though  some- 
what shattered  with  age,  they  still  spread  wide  their  fragrant 

J  Psalm  civ,  16.  2  E^gkiel  xxxi,  9. 


RIVEE    OF  ADONIS.  441 

branches,  and  run  out  their  roots  far  and  deep,  taking  hold  of 
the  very  foundation  of  the  mountain,  so  that  the  storms  of 
many  centuries  have  failed  to  destroy  tliem :  beautifully  sym- 
bolizing the  Christian  rooted  and  grounded  in  Christ,  whom 
no  storm  can 'uproot.  "The  righteous  shall  flourish  like  the 
palm-tree ;  he  shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon."  ' 

The  solitude  of  this  forest  is  oppressive ;  and  the  somber 
shade  cast  by  the  evergreen  foliage,  the  sighing  of  the  winds 
through  the  gnarled  branches,  and  the  associations  awakened 


NATURAL   BRIDGE. 


by  the  venerable  appearance  of  these  trees,  made  us  feel  more 
solemn  than  joyous  ;  and  after  a  few  hours'  rest  we  turned  our 
faces  westward,  first  down  the  valley  of  the  Ivadisha,  then  over 
a  succession  of  rocky  ridges,  through  the  grandest  scenery, 
but  over  the  roughest  roads,  ever  traveled  by  horsemen. 

Passing  the  river  Adonis,  near  the  fabled  scene  of  that 
young  man's  death  and  frequent  interviews  with  Venus — a 
wild,  picturesque  gorge,  with  numerous  fountains  and  water- 

'  Psalm  xcii,  12. 


412 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


falls— fit  temple  for  Cupid — and  crossing  a  deep  chasm  on  a 
natm-al  bridge,  one  hundred  and  sixtj-three  feet  long,  eighty 
feet  high,  by  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  wide — a  most 
romantic  spot,  and  a  wonderful  freak  of  nature,  we,  on  the 
second  day,  began  the  ascent  of  another  mountain  range 
near  the  coast,  and  as  we  were  wondering  in  our  own  minds 
Avhether  we  should  ever  reach  its  craggy  summit,  lo,  all  at  once 
the  sea,  the  blue,  tideless  Mediterranean  Sea,  burst  upon  our 


vision !  and  in  a  few  hours  we  were  in  Beirut,  the  end  of  our 
journey  on  horseback,  feeling  very  thankful  for  our  safe  pas- 
sage of  the  Lebanons. 

In  the  Prussian  Cemetery,  close  by  the  road-side,  as  you 
enter  Beirut,  a  gray  granite  obelisk  marks  the  tomb  of  the 
lamented  Bishop  Kingsley,  who  died  in  this  city  April  6, 1870, 
on  his  tour  round  the  world.  The  monument  was  shipped 
from  New  York  during  the  author's  residence  in  Palestine,  and 


EPHESUS.  443 

it  became  liis  painful,  yet  pleasing,  duty,  to  superintend  the 
erection  of  this  memorial  over  the  grave  of  a  brother  minister. 

Three  days  from  Beirut  brought  us,  by  steamer,  to  Smyrna, 
the  largest  city  in  Asia  Minor,  and  the  seat  of  one  of  the  "  seven 
Churches,"  the  one  of  which  the  venerable  Polycarp  was  bishop, 
and  where  he  suffered  martyrdom.  A  cypress-tree  on  the  hill 
back  of  the  city  is  supposed  to  mark  the  spot  where  this  good 
man  was  burned  at  the  stake. 

In  two  hours  by  rail  from  Smyrna  we  were  at  Ephesus, 
once  the  principal  city  in  Ionia,  and  for  centuries  the  metropo- 
lis of  "Western  Asia.  Among  the  splendid  edifices  for  which 
this  city  was  celebrated  was  the  magnificent  temple  of  Diana, 
said  to  have  been  two  hundred  and  twenty  years  in  building. 
Its  roof  was  of  cedar,  supported  by  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  columns  sixty  feet  high,  each  a  single  shaft  of  Parian 
marble,  fluted  and  beautifully  colored.  This  temple  was  one 
of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world,  and  contained  the  famous 
statue  of  the  goddess  Diana,  which  was  supposed  by  the 
credulous  people  to  have  fallen  from  heaven,  and  "  whom  aU 
Asia  and  the  world  worshiped."  '  The  site  of  this  grand 
temple,  which  for  centuries  was  unknown — some  persons  even 
questioning  whether  it  ever  existed — has  recently  been  discov- 
ered after  a  search  of  eight  years,  by  Dr.  Wood,  of  the  British 
Museum,  at  the  end  of  the  sacred  way,  a  colonnade  of  gorgeous 
tombs,  and  about  one  mile  from  the  Magnesia  gate.  No  young 
mother  ever  rejoiced  more  over  her  first-born  than  did  the 
doctor  over  the  recovery  of  this  long-buried  temple. 

The  earthquake  that  destroyed  Smyrna,  in  ITS  A.  D.,  greatly 
injured  Ephesus,  by  filling  up  the  harbor  and  creating  a  pes- 
tilential morass  of  mud  and  rushes  over  the  rich  valley  of  the 

*  Acts  xix,  27. 


444 


BIBLE    LANDS. 


Cajster.  So  that  now  most  of  the  ruins  are  covered  with 
rubbish  and  a  rank  growth  of  vegetation,  no  one  hving 
on  the  site  of  this  once  populous  citj.  All  is  silent  as  the 
grave. 

Paul  visited  Ephesus  in  the  year  54,  and  the  large  the- 
ater, where  he  "  fouglit  with  beasts,''  '  and  stirred  up  the 
great  tumult  on  that  occasion,  is  still  standing  on  the  side 
of  Mount  Prion.     It  is  partly  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  ellip- 


#-K., 


lEATER    AT    EPHESl"! 


tical  in  form,  being  six  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  its  greatest 
diameter,  and  capable  of  seating  an  audience  of  Hfty-six  thou- 
sand spectators.  Timothy  was  the  first  bishop  of  the  Church 
here,  one  of  the  seven  in  Asia,  and,  with  Luke,  is  supposed 
to  be  l)uried  here  ;  John,  the  "  beloved  disciple,"  also  preached, 
and,  it  is  said,  died  and  was  buried  here  after  his  return  from 
Patmos.     The  remains  of  his  old  churcli,  and  his  tomb  back 

'  1  Corinthians  xv,  32. 


ATHENS. 


445 


of  the  altar,  are  still  j^ointed  out.  The  buildings  along  the 
quay  are  in  good  preservation,  and  the  steps  leading  down  to 
the  water  as  iirm  as  Avhen  Paul  with  Priscilla  and  Aquila 
landed  here  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-live  years  ago.  It 
was  very  solemn  to  wander  among  the  ruins  of  this  desolate 
city,  to  see  the  stork  building  her  nest  on  the  stately  columns, 
to  stand  in  the  church  where,  pei-haps,  John  the  beloved,  and 
Paul,  and  Timothy,  and  Luke  often  preached  a  pure  gospel 
to  assembled  multitudes,  and  to  think  that  the  Epistle  to  the 


Ephesians,  now  read  throughout  Christendom,  has  no  one  to 
read  it  in  Ephesus !  She  lost  her  first  love,  and  her  candle- 
stick was  removed  forever. 

It  was  from  Ephesus  we  derived  the  word  Evangelist.  When 
about  to  build  this  city,  there  w^as  a  great  scarcity  of  good 
building  material.  A  shepherd  by  the  name  of  Pixodorus, 
feeding  his  flock  on  the  neighboring  hills,  discovered  a  quari-y 
of  fine  marble,  bringing  back  a  specimen.  He  was  received 
with  great  joy ;  his  name  was  changed  to  Evangelus,  that  is, 
bearer  of  glad  tidings,  and  divine  honors  were  paid  him.     Thus 


446  BIBLE    LANDS. 

we  see  how  words  full  of  sacred  import  are  derived  often  from 
pagan  legends. 

Returning  to  Smyrna,  we  took  the  steamer  for  Greece,  and 
after  touching  at  Patmos,  Rhodes,  Scio,  and  other  beautiful 
islands  m  the  ^gean  Sea,  landed  at  Athens,  so  renowned  in 
classic  history,  for  centuries  the  great  seat  of  learning,  the  cen- 
ter of  civilization,  and  the  capital  of  the  first  Republic  in  our 
world's  history,  1068  B.  C.  Just  before  entering  the  harbor 
of  Piraeus,  the  port  of  Athens,  we  passed  over  the  scene  of  the 
celebrated  naval  engagement  of  Salamis,  and  could  distinctly 
see  from  our  vessel's  deck  the  hill  on  which  Xerxes  erected 
his  silver  throne,  from  which  he  witnessed  the  destruction  of 
his  vast  fleet,  and  with  it  all  his  ambitious  aims  of  conquest  in 
Europe.  Close  by  the  light-house,  as  we  entered  the  bay,  a 
rock-hewn  tomb,  over  which  the  sea  was  breaking,  was  pointed 
out  as  the  humble  grave  of  Themistocles,  the  hero  of  Salamis. 

During  our  visit  to  this  city  I  have  been  living  in  the  past — 
hving  my  life  over  again — ^living  amid  the  stirring  scenes  of 
two  thousand  years  ago.  How  inspiring  to  stand  amid  the 
ruins  of  this  classic  city,  and  on  the  very  rock  where  the  great 
apostle  first  expounded  the  doctrines  of  "  Christ  and  the  resur- 
rection "  to  the  learned  Areopagites ! 

It  is  hard  for  me  to  realize  that  I  am  in  Athens,  but  far 
more  difficult  to  believe  what  I  really  see.  That  the  mountains 
that  tower  above  the  plain  are  Hymettus,  and  Lycabettus,  and 
Pentehcus ;  that  the  temple  that  crowns,  like  some  airy  castle, 
the  Acropolis,  is  the  unrivaled  Parthenon  of  Phidias,  the 
votive  offering  of  the  gods  to  Minerva,  or  Athene,  erected  four 
hundred  and  forty-eight  years  before  Christ ;  that  the  few  tot- 
tering, broken  columns  on  the  plain  are  the  last  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-six  that  once  composed  the  gorgeous  temple  of 


ATHENS. 


4^7 


Jupiter  Olympus ;  that  just  liere,  wliere  I  write,  on  the  liill  of 
Colonus,  is  where  Sophocles  was  born,  and.  the  celebrated  tem- 
ple of  ]!!Teptune  once  stood — I  say  to  realize  all  this,  and  much 
more,  is  to  roll  the  ages  back  and  live  through  twenty  centuries 
in  a  day. 

We  were  especially  interested  in  visiting  the  cemetery  of  an- 
cient Athens,  dating  back  to  -iOO  B.  C,  and  only  recently  dis- 
covered.    Some  of  the  monuments  were  very  fine  and  sugges- 


MAKS'    HILL 


tive.  There  was  nothing  gloomy  in  the  expression  of  the 
dying,  but  rather  a  hopeful  look  ;  and  they  seemed  to  part 
with  their  friends  in  expectation  of  another  meeting  in  the 
great  hereafter.  They  were  generally  attired  as  if  about  start- 
ing on  a  journey,  some  shaking  hands,  others  distributing  me- 
mentos to  loved  ones  before  their  departure.  On  one  tomb  a 
young  lady  was  taking  a  last  look  of  herself  in  a  metallic  mir- 
ror— the  ruling  passion  strong  in  death.     On  another,  Charon 


448  BIBLE   LAJfI>S. 

was  represented  waiting  with  his  boat  to  take  the  deceased 
over  the  river  Styx,  but  refused  to  start  until  the  price  de- 
manded was  paid,  and  was  holding  out  his  hand  for  the  money. 
Some,  who  had  not  the  required  amount,  were  sitting  weeping 
on  the  shore  as  if  their  hearts  would  break,  because  they  could 
not  enter  the  spirit  land  beyond.  They  all  carried  lamps  with 
them  to  light  up  the  dark  valley  they  were  entering.  How 
we  should  rejoice  that  Christ  has  hung  up  the  lamp  of  life  in 
this  dismal  region  of  death,  and  that  all  may  now,  through  his 
merits,  pass  safely  to  a  state  of  blessedness  beyond ! 

After  spending  a  delightful  week  rummaging  amid  the  ves- 
tiges of  this  ancient  metropolis  of  Greece,  enjoying  the  soft 
sunshine  and  dreamy  quietude  of  Attica's  loveliest  month — vis- 
iting the  monuments  of  art  and  power  on  the  Acropolis,  among 
the  grandest  in  the  world — standing  on  Mars'  Hill,  so  sacred 
in  its  associations  to  the  Christian,  and  on  the  Pnyx,  where 
Demosthenes  and  Pericles  often  swayed  the  populace  by  their 
eloquence ;  strolling  through  the  deserted  courts  of  the  Par- 
thenon, once  honored  with  the  presence  of  such  men  as  Solon, 
Pythagoras,  Socrates,  and  Zeno ;  and  over  the  site  of  the  Aca- 
demic groves,  where  Plato  and  Aristotle  taught  their  disciples, 
we  turned  our  faces  homeward,  and  bade  farewell  forever  to 
heroic,  classic  Greece. 

As  the  echoes  of  the  evening  guns  on  the  men-of-war  in  the 
bay  of  Piraeus  reverberated  along  the  shore,  and  the  flags 
dropped,  tinged  with  the  golden  hues  of  a  glorious  sunset,  we 
sailed  out  of  the  port  of  Athens  on  our  way  to  America  and 
boTne. 


IIODEKN    EGYPT,   SUiiUKBS  OF   CAIRO. 


APPENDIX. 


CHAPTER  I. 

EGYPT     AND     THE     EGYPTIANS. 

Land  of  the  Plmraolis — Tower  of  S3-eue — Oldest  Civilized  Portion  of  the  Globe — 
Battle-field  of  the  World — Grand  Monuments — Tombs  of  the  Kino;s — Wonder- 
ful Discoveries  at  Dayr  el  Bahree — Royal  Mummies— Pyramids  at  Sakara — 
Cleopatra's  Needle — Propiieoy  Fnlnlled — Mahommed  Ali — Slaughter  of  the 
Mamelukes  —  Joseph's  Well  —  Ishmaelites  —  Arabi  Bey  —  Late  Conflict — 
Future  of  Egypt. 

JUST  now  tlie  attention  of  the  civilized  world  centers  on 
the  land  of   the  Pharaohs,   and  all  are  anxions  to    know 
every  thing  that  relates  to  the  history  of  this  ancient  nation. 

Egypt  proper  is  confined  to  the  valley  of  the  Xile,  "  the 
river  of  Egypt,"  extending  from  the  Delta  np  to  the  First 
Cataract,  a  distance  of  about  eight  hnndred  miles  from  north 
to  south.  The  "  Tower  of  Syene,*'  modern  Assouan,  has  always 
been  the  natural  southern  boundary  of  "the  land  of  Ham." 
True,  some  of  the  old  Pharaohs  extended  their  conquests 
higher  up  the  river,  but  they  were  never  able  to  hold  the  ter- 
ritory they  conquered.  This  part  of  Africa  was  first  settled 
from  the  north,  as  the  Scriptures  state  and  the  oldest  monu- 
ments clearly  prove,  by  Mizraim  the  son  of  Ham  ; '  and  it  is  a 
singular  fact  that  Mizraim,  the  Hebrew  word  for  Egypt,  is  the 
Arabic  name  of  the  country  at  the  present  tim& 

'  Genesis  x,  6. 

451 


452  APPENDIA'. 

The  Inscory  of  Egypt  almost  covers  the  history  of  our  race. 
It  is  probably  the  oldest  civilized  portion  of  the  globe,  and 
the  most  fertile,  with  the  most  uniform  climate;  and  her 
monuments  are  among  the  grandest  ever  erected  by  man.  All 
the  great  powers  of  antiquity  have  coveted  this  rich  prize,  and 
millions  of  lives  have  been  sacrificed  for  its  possession ;  so  that 
the  valley  of  the  Nile  has  been  the  battle-field  of  the  world, 
and  to-day  is  nothing  more  than  one  vast  cemetery  of  buried 
cities  and  buried  races. 

The  monumental  remains  of  this  ancient  people  have  long 
been  the  wonder  of  the  world.  Nothing  could  surpass  in 
grandeur  and  magnitude  her  temples,  pyramids,  and  rock-hewn 
tombs,  a  full  account  of  which  will  be  found  in  the  first  part 
of  this  book. 

.  These  explorations  are  still  going  on,  and  within  the  last 
year  several  important  discoveries  have  been  made ;  one,  the 
mummy-pits  near  the  old  temple  of  Dayr  el  Bahree,  just  back 
of  Thebes,  the  renowned  capital  of  Upper  Egypt. 

The  "  Tombs  of  the  Kings,"  recovered  by  Belzoni,  more 
than  half  a  century  ago,  were  regarded  as  a  great  discovery. 
They  are  situated  among  the  cliffs  at  the  head  of  a  desolate 
gorge,  about  three  miles  west  of  Thebes — vast  temjjles  for 
the  dead,  composed  of  numerous  richlj-colored  sculptured  halls, 
corridors  and  chambers  excavated  out  of  the  solid  rock  and 
penetrating  the  mountain  in  some  instances  from  five  to  eight 
hundred  feet.  No  human  remains  were  found  in  these  tombs, 
and  yet,  from  the  empty,  broken  sarcophagi,  and  other  evi- 
dences of  vandalism,  it  was  clear  they  had  once  been  occu- 
pied but  plundered  by  unknown  parties  centuries  before,  and 
it  was  a  great  mystery  what  had  become  of  the  remains  of 


MUMMIES  OF  THE  OLD  PHARAOHS.  455 

the  old  kings  of  Egypt.  Hnppily,  throiigli  the  faitliful  exer- 
tions of  Hen-  Brngsch  and  Professor  Maspero,  this  problem 
is  now  solved. 

In  a  gallery  two  hundred  feet  long  and  thirty  deep,  cut  in 
tlie  natural  rock  at  the  base  of  the  bleak  Libyan  Mountains 
that  form  the  western  boundary  of  ancient  Thebes,  thirty-six 
mummies  of  the  old  Pharaohs  and  their  families  have  been 
recently  found.  They  had  been  removed  ages  before  from 
their  royal  tombs,  perhaps  during  the  Persian  or  some  other 
foreign  invasion,  and  for  safe  keeping  placed  in  this  more 
secure,  though  humbler  sepulcher.  And  to-day,  in  the  museum 
at  Boolak,  may  be  seen  lying  side  by  side  the  kings  and  queens, 
princes  and  priests  of  royal  blood,  who  lived  between  three 
and  four  thousand  years  ago.     How  marvelous  ! 

Their  bodies  were  carefully  embalmed,  and  are  wonderfully 
preserved.  Even  the  garlands  of  the  sacred  lotus,  and  other 
floral  mementos,  left  with  the  dead  by  sorrowing  friends,  are 
still  there,  looking  as  fresh  as  if  cut  but  a  few  months  ago. 
The  mummy  cases  are  richly  decorated,  some  had  been  over- 
laid with  gold,  and  on  each  the  name  and  titles  of  its  inmate 
are  legibly  written  ;  on  une  this  inscription  is  set  in  precious 
stones. 

There  is  Sethi  I.,  one  of  Egypt's  greatest  kings,  whom 
Joseph,  it  is  supposed,  served  as  governor  ;  next  to  him  lies 
Thothmes  III.,  who  first  erected,  in  front  of  the  grand  temple 
at  Ileliopolis,  the  obelisk  now  in  Central  Park ;  then  comes 
Pameses  II.,  before  whom  Moses  wrought  his  miracles,  and 
near  by  the  beautifully  embalmed  body  of  his  daughter,  sup- 
to  be  the  princess  who   rescued  Moses  from  the  Nile  ; 


with  many  other  royal  personages  of  different  dynasties,  cover- 


456 


APPENDIX. 


ing  a  period  of  at  least  seven  centuries.  And  Mdiat  is  even 
more  surprising,  witli  each  cotfin  was  found  a  bronze  canopic 
urn,  or  alabaster  vase,  containing  the  embalmed  heart  of  its 
occupant ;  so  we  have  here  before  ns  the  Pharaoh  whose  heart 
ivaa  hardened  when  he  refused  to  let  the  children  of  Israel  go, 
and  the  Pharaoli's  daughter  whose  heart  was  touched  with 
pity  when  she  heard  the  young  child  cry  in  its  ark  of  bul- 
rushes.    Was  ever  hction  more  strange  ! 

Several  of  the  mummies  are  females,  one  an  infant,  only 
sixteen  inches  long,  and  yet  has  all  the  titles  of  royalty.     It 


EMBALMED  lULL,    OR   APIS. 


was  found  in  the  same  coffin  with  its  motlier,  and  they  appear 
to  have  been  buried  at  tlie  same  time. 

This  process  of  embalming  M^as  practiced  by  the  Egyptians 
for  more  than  two  thousand  years  ;  and  not  only  all  natives,  but 
strangers,  captives  and  slaves,  M^ere  subjected  to  the  rite  ;  so  that 
there  must  be  at  the  present  time  millions,  if  n(>t  hundreds  of 
millions,  of  these  mummies  hidden  among  the  mountain  ranges 
or  concealed  by  the  ever  shifting  sands  of  Egypt.  They  also 
embalmed  their  sacred  birds,  cats  and  bulls,  the  latter  being 


EGYPTIA]Sr  3I0DE   OF   BURIAL.  457 

reo'ardetl  as  the  incarnation  of  Osiris.  It  was  tlie  enstom  to 
bui"v  with  the  dead  such  articles  as  were  found  about  their 
persons,  or  belonged  to  their  profession.  Thus  we  find  the 
soldier  with  his  bow  and  arrows,  the  painter  with  his  palette, 
the  scribe  with  his  pen  and  papyrus,  the  carpenter  with  his 
a'Ize,  the  mason  with  his  mallet  and  chisel,  the  musician  with  his 
cymbals,  and  the  child  with  its  doll  and  other  playthings. 
On  one  young  man  was  found  a  sealed  letter  directed  to  a 
friend,  the  youth  dying  before  tlie  letter  was  delivered. 

With  the  munnnies  found  at  Dayr  el  Ijahree  there  were 
live  thousand  seven  hundred  different  articles,  among  them  a 
royal  funeral  canopy,  three  thousand  years  old,  very  richly 
embroidered  on  leather  ;  also  four  large  rolls  of  papj^ri,  one 
of  them  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  long  and  sixteen  inches  wide. 
When  these  rolls  are  translated  they  will  no  doubt  give  a  full 
history  of  the  royal  dead,  with  many  other  important  facts. 

Among  the  effects  belonging  to  the  women  were  numerous 
statuettes,  libation  jars,  bottles  of  ointment  and  cosmetics, 
alabaster  cups  of  beautiful  design,  goblets  of  vai-iegated  glass, 
and  fifteen  full-dress  wigs,  of  curled  and  frizzed  hair,  of  the 
latest  Paris  style,  all  ready  to  put  on  when  the  soul  returned  to 
reoccupy  its  body. 

Equally  interesting  discoveries  have  been  made  recently  in 
the  Pyramids  at  Sahara,  the  oldest  in  Egypt,  l)y  Mariette  Bey 
and  Professor  Maspero.  These  eminent  archaeologists  suc- 
ceeded in  finding  the  long-concealed  entrance  to  these  tombs 
of  royalty;  found  vitliin  them  the  mortuary  clia])els  (-f  the  old 
Pharaohs  covered  with  sacred  inscriptions,  giving  all  details 
of  their  religious  belief;  found  the  regal  sarcophagi  of  black 
basalt,  and  the  mummied  remains  of  the  old  Mempiiite  kings 


458 


APPENDIX, 


belonging  to  the  fifth  and  sixth  dynasties,  proving  beyond  con- 
troversy that  these  monuments  were  designed  as  tombs  for 
their  kings,  and  exploding  forever  tlie  wild  speculations  lately 
indulged  in  touching  the  Pyramids. 


V     ^.  ^    i^J 


Kr  (^"^'r-:^^ 


-^1 

r 


INTERIOR   OF  TOMB,    SAKARA. 


Next  to  these  royal  mausoleums  in  point  of  antiquity  are 
the  obelisks,  of  which  so  little  is  known.  They  all  appear  to 
have  stood  east  of  the  Nile,  toward  sunrise,  and  ]:.robably  sym- 


Cleopatra's  needles.  459 

bolizecl  the  dawn  of  life,  as  the  pyramids  did  the  shades  of 
death.  One  of  the  two  known  as  Cleopatra's  Keedles,  re- 
cently brought  to  America  and  now  standing  in  Central  Park, 
]Sr.  Y.,  is  a  single  shaft  of  rose-colored  Syenite  granite,  sixty- 
eight  feet  eleven  inches  long,  and  about  eight  feet  s(piare  at  its 
base,  tapering  to  five  feet  at  the  top ;  weighing  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  tons,  and  measuring  in  height,  with  its  pedestal, 
ninety-six  feet.  These  monuments  were  first  called  obelisks  by 
the  Greeks,  from  "  oJjeliskos,''^  a  spit,  awl,  or  large  needle,  a 
name  probably  suggested  by  their  peculiar  shape ;  and  the  two 
lately  taken  from  Alexandria  have  long  l)een  known  as  "  Cleo- 
patra's Needles,"  though  that  celebrity  had  nothing  to  do  with 
their  erection,  and  may  never  have  seen  them.  The  one  in 
Central  Park  is  among  the  oldest  extant.  It  originally  stood 
in  front  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  at  Heliopolis,  but  was  re- 
moved to  Alexandria  by  order  of  Augustus  Csesar,  in  the  sev- 
enth year  of  that  emperor's  reign,  B.  C.  23,  or  eight  years  after 
Cleopatra's  death,  and  placed  with  its  companion,  now  in  Lon- 
don, in  front  of  a  temple  dedicated  to  Augustus. 

The  four  sides  are  covered  with  hieroglyphic  inscriptions,  cut 
sharply  in  the  hard  granite  in  three  lines  from  top  to  bottom. 
The  middle  column  on  each  face  records  the  heroic  deeds  of 
Thothmes  III.,  who  first  set  up  the  obelisk  at  Heliopolis.  The 
side  lines,  which  are  two  hundred  and  seventy  years  later,  but 
not  so  bold,  recite  the  exploits  and  virtues  of  Rameses  II.,  of 
the  nineteenth  dynasty,  the  most  famous  of  Egyptian  kings, 
who  reigned  sixty-seven  years,  about  fourteen  centuries  before 
Christ. 

Egypt  was  the  land  of  obelisks.  Anciently,  hundreds  of 
them  stood  in  front  of  her  grand  temples,  but  she  has  been 


460  APPEJN^DIX. 

cruelly  despoiled  of  these  graceful  monunients.  Tliey  have 
been  carried  away  to  Kouie,  Constantinople,  Paris,  London, 
and  now  jSTew  York,  until  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  are  left 
standing  in  all  Egypt.  Tlie  largest  of  the  twenty -five  in 
Ein'ope  is  before  the  basilica  of  St.  John  Lateran,  Rome.  The 
shaft  alone  is  one  hundred  and  six  feet  high  and  weighs  four 
hundred  and  forty-five  tons.  It  belongs  to  the  dynasty  of 
Thothmes  III.,  the  same  as  the  one  in  Central  Park,  and  was 
transported  from  Thebes  to  Rome  by  Coustantius,  A.D.  357. 
The  next  largest  is  the  one  at  Karnak,  ascribed  to  Hatasoo, 
sister  of  Thothmes  111.,  which  is  estimated  to  weigh  four  hun- 
dred tous. 

According  to  Herodotus,  the  entire  temple  of  Sais  was  a 
monolith,  weighing  five  thousand  tons,  and  two  thousand  men 
were  three  years  transporting  it  from  Syene.  How  such  enor- 
mous blocks  of  granite  were  taken  from  the  quarry  at  the  first 
cataract  of  the  I^ile,  eight  hundred  miles  from  the  sea,  and 
brought  down  to  the  delta,  and  to  different  parts  of  Europe, 
at  that  early  period,  before  modern  appliances  were  known,  is 
marvelous.  There  must  have  been  operative  masons  in  that 
day,  and  this,  probably,  is  the  great  secret  our  Masonic  friends 
have  so  long  and  so  faithfully  kept. 

Ko  one  can  visit  these  remains  of  former  wealth  and  power, 
and  contrast  the  present  condition  of  EgyjDt  with  what  it  was 
under  the  Pharaohs,  without  being  impressed  with  the  truth 
of  revelation  as  seen  in  the  literal  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies 
that  relate  to  this  land.  These  predictions  were  uttered  when 
Egypt  was  in  all  her  glory,  and  when  nothing  but  Omniscience 
could  have  foretold  her  degradation. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  :  "  Behold,  I  will  trive  the  land  of 


WONDEKFUL   FULFILLMENT   OF  PKOPIIECY.  401 

Eg7pt  unto  Nebucluidnezzar  king  of  Babylon ;  and  he  sliall 
take  lier  multitude,  and  take  lier  spoil;  and  it  shall  be  the 
wages  for  his  army."  '  "  It  shall  be  the  basest  of  the  kingdoms  ; 
neither  shall  it  exalt  itself  any  more  above  the  nations."  ^ 
"  And  the  Egyptians  will  I  give  over  into  the  hands  of  cruel 
lords ;  and  a  fierce  king  shall  rule  over  them.''  ^  "  I  will 
scatter  the  Egyptians  among  the  nations.''  "  And  there  shall 
be  no  more  a  prince  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  '  There  are  many 
other  prophecies  of  the  same  import,  but  these  are  sufficient 
to  show  their  striking  fulfillment. 

We  have  here  given  the  very  name  of  the  king  who  was 
chosen  to  break  the  power  of  this  mighty  nation,  with  the 
whole  list  of  reverses  experienced  in  her  subsequent  history. 
In  fact,  the  history  of  this  country  is  little  more  than  prophecy 
fulfilled.  IS[ebucliadnezzar,  Babylon's  greatest  king,  was  the 
first  to  invade  and  conquer  Egypt,  B.  C.  572.  It  remained  a 
dependency  of  Babylonia  until  the  Persian  conquest  by  Cam- 
byses,  B.C.  525,  after  which  it  was  governed  by  Persian  satraps 
down  to  its  conquest  by  Alexander  the  Great,  B.  C.  332. 
The  Greeks  held  possession  until  it  was  taken  from  them  by 
the  Romans,  B.C.  30,  when  it  became  a  Roman  province,  and 
remained  so  until  conquered  by  the  Arabs  under  Amer,  A.  D. 
€38,  after  which  it  was  governed  by  the  Caliphs,  or  Saracens, 
until  conquered  by  the  Turks  under  Sultan  Selim,  in  1517, 
when  it  became  a  part  of  the  Ottoman  Empire.  So  that  dur- 
ing the  last  twenty-four  centuries  there  has  not  been  a  native 
prince  for  any  length  of  time  on  the  throne  of  Egypt. 

The  founder  of  the  present  dynasty,  Mohammed  Ali,  by 
birth  a  European,  was  made  Viceroy  of  Egypt  by  the  Porte 

'  Ezek.  xxix,  19.       ^  Ezek.  xxix,  15.       ^  jg^^  ^ix,  4.       *  Ezek.  xxx,  13-26. 


4G2  APPEXDIX. 

in  1806.  He  was  a  man  of  great  courage,  intelligence,  and 
liberality,  and  did  for  Egypt  more  than  any  other  prince  in 
centuries.  lie  not  only  restored  order  and  created  an  army, 
but  established  schools,  encouraged  industry,  protected  Chris- 
tians, aided  science,  and  for  over  forty  years  ruled  the  land 
with  wisdom,  lirmness,  and  justice;  and,  but  for  the  interven- 
tion of  Europe,  would  have  added  all  Syria  to  his  dominion. 
Ismail  Pasha,  who  succeeded  to  the  A^ice-Royalty  in  1863,  was 
the  adopted  grandson  of  Moliammed  Ali,  and,  in  1868,  his  title 
of  Viceroy  was  changed  to  that  of  K/i'uleice,  or  Khedive,  a  Per- 
sian title  of  higher  rank.  Owing,  however,  to  his  extravagance 
and  misrule,  Ismail  was  deposed  in  1879,  and  his  eldest  son, 
Tewfik,  the  great-grandson  of  Mohammed  Ali,  appointed  by 
the  European  powers  to  reign  in  his  father's  stead.  The  pres- 
ent Khedive  is  a  young  man  of  sound  judgment,  good  edu- 
cation, liberal  in  his  views,  with  but  one  wife,  and  if  let  alone 
will  make  a  good  ruler. 

Cairo,  the  capital  and  residence  of  the  Khedive,  is  the 
largest  city  in  Africa,  containing  a  population  of  half  a  million, 
M-ith  Ijeautiful  avenues,  parks,  palaces,  hotels,  opera-house, 
mosques,  bazaars,  not  to  mention  the  dogs,  donkeys,  camels, 
and  motley  crowds  of  men,  women  and  children,  that  serve 
to  make  up  all  Oriental  cities.  On  a  rocky  ridge  to  the  east, 
overlooking  the  city,  is  the  Citadel,  built  by  Sultan  Saladin  in 
1166,  of  stone  taken  from  the  pyramids  of  Ghizeh.  Aline 
view  is  had  from  this  eminence  of  Cairo  and  its  surroundings. 
Jiist  in  front  of  you  is  the  grand  Mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan ; 
then  comes  the  city  with  its  numerous  minarets  and  sun-lit 
domes,  with  the  river  and  its  fleet  of  little  boats  beyond,  and 
away  oif  on  the  horizon  the  great  African  desert  in  all  its  soli- 


i\  i 


■ 


CITADEL,   AND   WELL  OF  JOSEPH.  465 

tude,  flanked  by  the  pyramids  on  the  ore  hand  and  the  ever- 
green delta  on  the  other.  A  view  never  to  be  forgotten.  It 
■was  in  the  courts  of  tliis  Citadel  the  Mamelukes  were  betrayed 
and  cruelly  slaughtered  by  Mohammed  Ali  in  1811.  Originally 
the  men  composing  this  celebrated  cavalry  were  Circassian 
slaves,  belonging  to  the  Sultan,  but  in  time  they  almost  gained 
control  of  the  army  and  country,  and  Mohammed  Ali,  suspecting 
them  of  certain  plots  and  intrigues,  resolved  on  their  extermi- 
nation, which  he  finally  accomplished,  by  alluring  them  into  the 
Fortress,  and  then  murdering  them  in  cold  blood.  The  spot 
where  Emin  Bey,  the  only  one  who  escaped,  made  his  fearful 
leap,  is  still  pointed  out.  The  old  palace  of  Saladin  formerly 
stood  within  the  Citadel,  but  was  removed  to  make  room  for 
tlie  splendid  mosque  and  tomb  of  Mohammed  Ali,  which  now 
covers  the  same  site.  But  the  greatest  curiosity  here  is  the 
"  Well  of  Joseph,"  which  supplies  the  Citadel  with  water. 
It  is  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  if 
not  of  Joseph  the  Hebrew,  whose  name  it  bears,  and  was. 
discovered  by  Saladin,  filled  with  sand,  when  clearing  away 
the  site  for  his  fortress.  It  is  two  hundred  and  ninety  feet 
deep  and  fifteen  feet  in  diameter,  excavated  in  the  solid  rocky 
with  a  spiral  staircase  or  inclined  plane,  like  the  thread  of  a 
screw,  winding  around  the  well  from  top  to  bottom,  wide 
enough  to  drive  two  mules  abreast  down,  all  cut  out  of  the 
natural  rock,  making  the  entire  opening  at  least  twenty-five 
feet  in  diameter.  The  water  is  raised  by  means  of  earthen  jars 
fastened  to  an  endless  rope  passing  over  a  wheel,  and  kept  con- 
tinually revolving  by  mules  or  oxen,  stationed  above  and  below. 
The  jars  that  come  up  full  discharge  at  the  top,  and  descend 
empty.  It  certainly  is  a  grand  piece  of  engineering,  and  how 
30 


466  APPENDIX. 

such  an  excavation  was  made  to  such  a  depth,  without  fractur- 
ino;  the  rock,  is  even  a  greater  wonder  than  the  well  itself. 

Ihe  present  population  of  Egypt  numbers  about  5,000,000, 
principally  Arabs,  or  the  descendants  of  Ishmael,  Abi-aham's 
eldest  son,  by  Hagar,  his  Egyptian  wife.'  Ishmael  also  mar- 
ried an  Egyptian,'  and  was  the  father  of  twelve  sons,  or  twelve 
noted  princes,  who  became  the  progenitors  of  twelve  Arab 
tribes.'  These  tribes  are  the  wandering  Ishmaelites,  or  Arabs 
of  the  desert,  and,  as  foretold,  have  become  "  a  great  nation,"  * 
numbering  probably  100,000,000.  They  are  a  fearless,  inde- 
pendent race,  claiming  never  to  have  been  conquered,  paying 
tribute  to  no  king,  leading  a  nomadic  life,  roving  at  pleasure 
over  the  country,  with  their  vast  flocks  and  herds,  having  no 
local  habitation,  but  dwelling  in  tents  of  black  goat's  hair,  and 
living  by  plunder.     A  race  of  hereditary  robbers. 

Their  history  is  a  standing  miracle.  They  are  still  wild 
men,  their  "  hand  against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  them."  '  Dwelling  for  centuries  in  the  presence  of 
their  brethren,  the  Jews,  Edomites,  Moabites,  and  Ammonites, 
all  highly  civilized  nations,  the  Ishmaelites  are,  nevertheless,  as 
wild  and  uncivilized  to-day  as  they  were  3,000  years  ago.  They 
build  no  cities,  make  no  improvements,  have  no  schools,  but 
lead  a  predatory,  lazy  life,  looking  upon  all  labor  as  degrading. 
There  are  two  classes  of  Arabs — the  Bedouin  and  Fellaheen. 
The  Bedouins  are  the  wild  sons  of  the  desert,  warriors  by  pro- 
fession, ever  on  the  war-path,  and,  when  mounted  on  their  fleet 
Arab  steeds,  in  their  gay  trappings,  armed  with  long  lances,  the 
blades,  highly  polished,  gleaming  in  the  sun-light,  look  very 

'Genesis  xvi,  3.  ^Genesis  xxi,  21.  ^  Genesis  xxv,  16. 

■•Genesis  xvii,  20.        *  Genesis  xvi,  12. 


EGYPTIAN    SOLDIERS. 


467 


formidable.  The  Fellaheen  are  the  tillers  of  the  soil,  generally 
very  ignorant  and  superstitious,  have  no  taste  for  war,  and  will 
never  make  soldiers.  The  Egyptians  are  principally  of  the 
latter  class,  and  though  they  make  good 
field  hands,  know  very  little  of  jjolitics, 
and  are  not  the  matei-ial  to  form  a  na- 
tional party  out  of.  The  late  army  of 
Arabi  Bey  was  made  up  almost  entirely 
of  this  class,  and  having  been  forcibly 
taken  from  tlieir  lands,  they  were  only 
too  glad  to  throw  down  their  arms  and 
run  at  the  first  opportunity.  The  only 
soldiers  that  stood  tire  during  the  late  con- 
flict were  the  black  troops  from  the  Sou- 
dan. These  soldiei-s  were  formerly  slaves, 
stolen  from  the  interior  of  Africa,  and  set 
free  by  the  late  Khedive,  on  the  condition 
that  they  would  serve  in  the  army ;  and, 
liaving  no  country  to  fight  for,  and  being 
far  removed  from  their  homes,  with  no 
prospect  of  ever  returning,  are  a  class  of 
desperate,  reckless  men,  fond  of  slaughter, 
who  would  rather  die  than  live. 

No  importance  is  to  be  attached  to  the 
LANCE.  religious  movement  in  the  Soudan  under 
Senoussi,  the  so-called  Moslem  Messiah.  His  followers  are 
merely  troops  of  beggars  and  dervishes,  armed  with  war-clubs 
and  lances,  who  from  superstition  or  mercenary  motives  have 
joined  his  standard.  One  regiment  of  English  soldiers  would 
scatter  them  like  chafi  before  the  whirlwind. 


BEDODIN 
LANCE. 


4P»S  APPEIS^DIX. 

The  annual  revenne  of  Egypt  is  about  $40,000,000,  collecte(f 
principally  from  the  products  of  the  soil,  and  as  there  are  only- 
5,000,000  acres  cf  land  capable  of  cultivation,  this  imposes  an 
average  tax  of  eight  dollars  per  acre  on  these  poor  Fellaheen. 
It  is  this  oppressive  system  of  taxation  that  has  crushed  out  the 
life  of  the  nation,  and  still  hangs,  like  a  great  millstone,  around 
her  neck.  Nothing  could  be  more  wretched  than  the  condi- 
tion of  the  peasant  women  of  Egypt.  No  provision  is  made 
for  their  education  ;  they  are  allowed  but  few  privileges,  are: 
never  consulted  in  marriage,  do  all  the  drudgery,  carry  all. 
the  water,  and  are  treated  worse  than  slaves  by  their  cruel 
husbands.  They  are  divorced  for  any  trifling  offense,  bought, 
and  sold  like  cattle,  and  die  unmourned.  There  are  few 
Arabs  but  would  grieve  more  over  the  loss  of  a  camel  than, 
the  death  of  a  wife. 

Alexandria,  the  sea-port  of  Egypt,  and  largest  commercial 
city  in  Africa,  before  passing  through  its  late  fiery  ordeal,  was> 
a  stirring  place  of  300,000  population,  and  rapidly  growing. 
We  give  its  eventful  history  elsewhere,  save  its  last  bloody- 
chapter,  enacted  on  the  11th  of  June,  1882,  when  hundreds  of" 
innocent  Christians  of  every  age  were  brutally  murdered  by 
fanatical  Mussulmans,  the  sequel  of  which  was  the  bombard- 
ment of  the  forts  by  Admiral  Seymour,  and  the  burning  of 
the  city  by  Arabi  Bey. 

It  was  this  spirit  of  rebellion  and  plunder,  and  the  Khedive's^ 
inability  to  enforce  law  and  preserve  order,  that  caused  En- 
gland to  send  her  army  and  navy  to  his  assistance. 

Arabi  Bey  is  nothing  more  than  a  religious  enthusiast,  and 
ambitious  rebel,  who,  under  the  popular  cry  of  "  Egypt  for 
the  Egyptians,"  tried  to  get  up  a  national  party,  clamoring  for 


Akali  Bey.  469 

-independence.  But  there  can  be  no  national  party  in  Egypt, 
simply  because  they  are  not  a  nation,  merely  a  population,  that 
have  had  no  voice  in  their  national  affairs  for  twenty-four 
■centuries,  and  are  too  ignorant,  and  have  been  too  long  under 
the  heel  of  despotism,  to  appreciate  a  free  government.  In 
the  recent  outbreak,  being  backed  by  the  army,  Arabi  first  at- 
tempted to  depose  the  Khedive.  Failing  in  this,  he  next,  like 
.a  highwayman,  undertook  to  murder  or  drive  out  of  the  coun- 
try all  Europeans  and  Christians,  conhscating  their  property, 
and  even  threatened  to  inaugurate  a  holy  war  and  desolate  the 
whole  land  if  his  authority  was  not  recognized.  He  is  a  fanat- 
ical Mohammedan,  and  under  the  impression  that  he  was  a 
•second  Cromwell,  divinely  inspired  to  restore  the  ancient  faith 
•of  his  prophet,  urged  on  by  the  students  of  El  Azhar,  he  began 
his  crusade  with  sword  and  torch  against  all  foreigners  and 
Christians. 

In  September,  ISSl,  he  first  appeared  upon  the  Egyptian 
■stage  as  a  mutinous  colonel  in  the  Khedive's  army,  claiming  to 
be  influenced  by  pure  and  patriotic  zeal  in  the  holy  cause  of 
Egyptian  independence.  Those  who  knew  him,  however,  de- 
clared that  the  so-called  patriot  was  a  restless,  ignorant  puppet, 
■worked  by  secret  wire-pullers  in  Cairo  and  Constantinople,  to 
produce  anarchy  in  Egypt,  in  the  hope  of  exhibiting  the  in- 
competency of  the  Khedive  to  rule,  and  of  inflaming  the  fanat- 
ical hatred  of  the  population  against  the  European  control. 
Such  a  combination  wonld  cause  an  outbreak,  the  Khedive 
would  be  deposed,  the  Europeans  flee  the  country,  and  the 
Sultan  would  intervene  and  appoint  a  ruler  to  the  throne  of 
Egypt  who  would  re-establish  the  tottering  influence  of  the 
Porte. 


4:70  APPENDIX. 

The  entire  world  lias  watclied  with  interest  the  successive 
acts  in  this  drama.  The  curtain  rose  in  September,  1881,  with 
Arabi  Bey  at  the  head  of  his  mutinous  troops  defying  the 
Khedive  in  front  of  'his  own  pahice  in  Cairo.  The  curtain  has 
fallen  in  September,  1882,  with  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley's  victoi-'y. 
How  changed  the  scene  !  Arabi's  army  has  been  scattered  to 
the  winds  ;  all  national  aspirations  have  been  dispelled,  and  the 
late  leader  of  the  rebellion  is  left  without  a  follower — a 
crouching  sycophant,  at  the  feet  of  his  conquerors. 

England  and  the  other  great  powers  of  Europe  were  under 
treaty  stipulations  to  support  the  Khedive  and  put  down  this 
rebellion  ;  but  the  other  nations  refusing  to  interfere,  England 
nobly  assumed  the  responsibility,  crowning  herself  with  im- 
mortal glory. 

But  for  British  interference,  the  flames  that  consumed  the 
best  portion  of  Alexandria  woukl  have  spread  all  over  the 
East,  and  thousands  of  innocent  Christians  would  have  been 
cruelly  murdered.  The  battle  of  Tel-el-Kebir,  on  the  18th  of 
SejDtember,  1882,  will  determine  the  future  of  Egypt.  England 
is  there,  and  she  will  stay  there,  and  under  the  pi'otectorate  of 
Great  Britain,  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs  will  recover  much  of 
her  ancient  glory.  Africa  will  be  opened  up  to  connnerce, 
slavery  and  polygamy  will  be  abolished,  law  and  order  will  be 
enforced,  life  and  property  protected,  woman  emancipated, 
the  people  elevated,  schools  and  Christian  missions  established, 
and  civilization  promoted  throughout  the  dark  continent. 


CHAPTER  II. 

RISE  AND  FALL  OF    EMPIRES   IN  THE    LIGHT  OF   PROPHECY. 

Foretelling  Future  Events— The  Jewish  Prophets— History,  Prophecy  Fulfilled— 
Nebuchadnezzar's  Dream— Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Chaldean,  Persian,  Grecian, 
and  Roman  Empires — A  Little  Stone  Breaks  them  to  Pieces — Symbol  of 
Christ's  Kingdom— Dnniel's  Vision  of  the  Four  Beasts— The  Little  Horn  of 
Mohammedanism — Makes  War  against  the  Saints — Pilgrimages  to  Mecca — 
Tomb  of  the  Prophet— Conflict  between  the  Crescent  and  Cross— The  Proph- 
et's Flag — To  Prevail  1,260  Prophetic  Days — Great  Battle  of  Armageddon — 
Overthrow  of  Islamism— The  Little  Stone  becomes  a  Mountain,  and  fills  the 
Earth  with  the  Glory  of  God. 

TiiK  foretelling  of  future  contingent  events  belongs  exclu- 
sively to  God,  and  the  fuliillment  of  these  predictions  is  the 
highest  proof  of  their  divine  origin.  Many  of  the  Scripture 
prophecies  foretold  events  ages  before  they  occurred — events 
of  which  there  was  then  no  apparent  probability,  and  the  occur- 
rence of  which  depended  on  innumerable  contingencies.  Some 
of  them  are  of  vast  extent,  reaching  dowa  to  the  end  of  the 
world's  history. 

The  Jewish  prophets  were  a  class  of  holy  men  specially  in- 
spired to  reveal  the  purposes  of  God  in  relation  to  both  future 
and  current  events,  and  to  denounce  his  judgments  against  the 
wicked. 

Their  messages  were  received  either  directly  from  God,  or 
through  dreams,  visions,  or  trances,  and  were  delivered  to  those 
they  concerned  in  writing,  or  by  word  of  mouth ;  often  with 
miracles  to  enforce  them.  Many  of  their  prophecies  relate  to 
certain  persons,  cities,  or  nations,  which  had  incurred  the  divine 
displeasure.     Others,  such  as  we  shall  more  particularly  notice, 

471 


472  APPENDIX. 

to  the  rise  and  fall  of  empires,  and  to  the  establishment  of 
Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world. 

Of  all  the  Old  Testament  proj^hets,  none  give  so  fnll  an 
acconnt  of  the  political  changes  which  have  taken  place  among 
the  nations,  as  Daniel,  who  lived  in  the  seventh  century  before 
Christ,  and  foretold,  centuries  before  they  came  to  pass,  some 
of  the  most  astonishing  events  which  have  ever  occurred  ;  not 
only  under  types  and  figures,  but  with  all  the  precision  of  facts, 
giving  the  names,  dates,  and  every  particular. 

So  literally  have  the  predictions  of  this  prophet  been  fulfilled, 
that  some,  on  that  ground,  have  questioned  the  authenticity 
of  his  book,  alleging  that  his  prophecies  must  have  been  writ- 
ten after  the  events  transpired.  No  historian  relates  events  in 
more  exact  order  of  time,  and  his  revelations  cover  the  whole 
history  of  the  world  from  Cyrus  down  to  the  close  of  the  pres- 
ent  dispensation. 

In  the  dream  of  E'ebuchadnezzar,  as  explained  by  Daniel,  we 
have  clearly  set  forth  the  rise,  progress,  and  termination  of  the 
four  greatest  monarchies  of  earth,  which  have  been  so  cele- 
brated in  history,  together  with  other  mighty  changes  in  the 
political  state  of  the  world,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  origin 
and  nature  of  a  fifth  kingdom,  destined  to  absorb  all  the  others, 
and  to  which  there  should  be  no  end.  The  king  saw,  in  his 
dream,  an  image  exceedingly  luminous,  of  terrible  form,  and 
composed  of  different  substances.  The  head  was  of  fine  gold, 
the  breast  and  arms  of  silver,  the  thighs  brass,  and  the  legs 
iron.^  Kebuchadnezzar  was  greatly  troubled  in  his  mind  by 
this  vision,  and  his  own  wise  men  failing  to  tell  him  the  mean- 
ing of  his  dream,  he  sends  for  Daniel,  then  a  young  man  con- 
Daniel  ii,  31. 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   GREAT  IMAGE.  473 

■nected  with  tlie  Babylonian  court,  who,  under  divine  inspii-a- 
tion,  proceeded  to  show  his  majesty  its  signification ;  the  in- 
terpretation of  which  we  also  are  now  able  to  understand,  since 
the  propliecy  has  become  history. 

The  '■'•head  of  goW  represented  the  brilliant  kingdom  of 
Babylonia,  "  the  lady  of  kingdoms," '  "  the  beauty  of  the 
Chaldees'  excellency."  The  first  and  grandest  among  the  na- 
tions founded  by  Is  imrod,  B.  C.  2233,  which,  under  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, Babylon's  greatest  king,  extended  over  all  Western 
Asia.  So  that  the  prophet  might  very  truthfully  say,  ''  Thou, 
O  king,  art  this  head  of  gold." 

The  ^'breast  and  arms  of  silver''''  denote  the  Medo-Persian 
■empire  under  Cyrus  the  Persian,  who,  after  the  fall  of  Baby- 
lon, B.  C.  538,  and  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Darius  the  Mede, 
united  the  two  kingdoms  and  established  the  powerful  Persian 
empire  on  the  ruins  of  ancient  Chaldsea. 

The  "  thighs  ofhrass''''  apply  to  the  Grecian  and  Macedonian 
empire  under  Alexander  the  Great,  who,  in  his  victorious 
march,  not  only  conquered  the  Medes  and  Persians,  but  all  the 
countries  between  the  Adriatic  and  the  Ganges,  and,  according 
to  the  prophecy,  "  bore  rule  over  all  the  earth,"  there  being 
"  none  to  withstand  him." 

The  "  legs  of  iron  "  evidently  refer  to  the  Poman  monarchy, 
•which  succeeded,  and  was  formed  out  of  the  wreck  of,  the  Gre- 
cian. A  strong  military  kingdom,  iron  in  nature,  invincible  in 
war.  The  feet  were  "  iron  and  clay,"  denoting  that  it  was  a 
mixture  of  strength  and  weakness,  of  good  and  bad  qualities, 
which  would  not  freely  mingle  nor  "  cleave  one  to  another,"  but 
become  weakened  by  conquest  and  be  easily  broken  to  pieces. 

'  Isaiah  xlvii.  5. 


474  APPENDIX. 

The  ^^ stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain''''  can  have  but  one 
meaning,  and  must  refer  to  the  "rock  of  our  salvation,"  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  against  which  "  tlie  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail."  Cut  from  the  mountain,  '■'•  without  hands'  refers  to 
the  spiritual  nature  of  this  kingdom,  showing  that  it  "  is  not  of 
this  world," — not  of  human  origin ;  but  a  kingdom  which  the 
God  of  heaven  has  set  up,  an  everlasting  kingdom,  to  which 
there  shall  be  no  end.  Every  thing  made  with  hands  is  perish- 
able and  doomed  to  destruction ;  but  tliis,  being  a  spiritual 
kingdom,  and  not  made  with  hands,  "  shall  stand  forever." 
This  little  stone,  after  striking  the  image  and  breaking  it  ta 
pieces,  "  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth."  ' 
Thus  Christianity,  after  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  became 
a  great  power,  consuming  all  that  remained  of  the  four  great 
monarchies  of  earth,  leaving  scarcely  a  vestige  of  their  former 
greatness — nothing  but  desolation  and  ruin  to  mark  the  sites  of 
their  renowned  cities. 

These  empires  were  destroyed  in  the  very  order  foretold. 
First,  the  head  of  gold,  next  the  arms  of  silver,  then  the  thighs 
of  brass,  and,  finally,  the  legs  and  feet  of  iron  and  clay.  So  com- 
pletely are  they  blotted  out,  that  none  of  them  are  to  be  found 
to-day;  all  have  become  extinct,  and  only  live  in  history.  The 
Chaldeans  were  absorbed  by  the  Modes,  the  Modes  by  the  Per- 
sians, the  Persians  by  the  Greeks,  the  Greeks  by  the  Romans, 
and  the  Romans  by  the  Goths  and  other  nations  into  which 
tlie  Roman  empire  was  divided. 

The  conversion  of  Constantino  was  a  severe  blow  to  pagan 
Rome,  and  his  edict,  A.  D.  331,  abolishing  idolatry,  speedily  es- 
tablished Christianity  throughout  the  empire.     And  ever  since 

'  Daniel  ii,  35. 


DANIEL  S   VISION.  475 

the  downfall  of  Rome  the  kingdom  of  the  stone  has  been  gath- 
ering strength  from  year  to  year,  and  it  will  continue  to  in- 
crease from  century  to  century,  until  all  "  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;, 
and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  ' 

It  will  be  observed  that  "  the  feet  and  toes  of  this  image  '^ 
were  iron  and  clay,  and  after  it  was  broken  these  formed  a 
separate  kingdom,  a  mixture  of  iron  and  clay,  or  truth  and  er- 
I'or.  This,  it  would  seem,  refers  to  the  rise  of  the  Mohammed- 
an power,  or  the  Saracenic  Caliphate,  wdiich  was  a  mixture  of 
many  races,  and  a  pare  of  the  disujembered  Roman  Emjjire. 

Fifty  years  later,  when  Daniel  was  in  the  palace  at  Shushan, 
the  summer  residence  of  the  Persian  kings,  being  nearer  the 
mountains  and  cooler,  he  hims.elf  had  a  vision  of  the  same  im- 
port, under  the  symbol  of  four  beasts,  which  were  to  represent 
more  fully  the  order,  succession,  and  character  of  these  four 
great  monarchies. 

"  The  first  was  like  a  lion,  and  had  eagle's  wings  ; "  '  this 
applies  to  Babylonia,  in  her  great  strength  and  glory,  after  the 
conquest  of  Assyria.  The  symbol  of  her  kings  and  deities  was 
the  human-headed  winged  lion,  which  may  still  be  seen  guard- 
ing the  entrance  to  her  ruined  temples  and  palaces.  The 
wings,  however,  are  represented  as  "  plucked,"  which  refers  to 
the  decline  of  the  empire  ;  she  is  no  longer  to  soar  above  the 
nations,  has  already  lost  Lydia,  Media,  and  Persia.  Her  last 
king  is  now  upon  the  throne,  and  soon  "  the  beauty  of  the 
Chaldees'  excellency  "  will  fade  forever  from  the  earth. 

The  next  was  a  ram  with  "  two  horns."  '  These  horns  sym- 
bolize power,  authority,  dominion.     One  of  these  horns  "  was 

'  Revelation  xi,  15.         ^  Daniel  vii,  4.         *  Daniel  viii,  3. 


476  APPENDIX. 

higher  tlian  the  other,"  and  the  liigher  one  "  came  np  last." 
This  higher  liorn  clearly  refers  to  Cyrus  the  Persian,  who  came 
Tip  after  Darius  the  Mede,  but  soon  towered  above  him.  "We 
have  here  represented  the  two  kingdoms  of  Media  and  Persia 
united  under  Cyrus,  who,  like  a  ram,  pushes  his  victories  in 
every  direction,  "  according  to  his  will."  The  ram  was  long 
the  emblem  of  Persia ;  the  golden  diadem  of  the  empire  was 
ornamented  with  rams'  horns  ;  and,  what  seems  strange,  among 
the  sculptures  at  Persepolis,  the  old  capital,  may  still  be  seen 
the  ram's  head  with  two  horns,  one  higher  than  the  other. 

Then  "  a  he-goat  came  from  the  west,"  with  "  a  notable  horn," 
and  ran  at  the  ram  in  "  the  fury  of  his  jDOwer,"  breaking  his 
two  horns  and  casting  him  to  the  ground,  "  and  there  was 
none  that  could  deliver  the  ram  out  of  his  hand."  ^  All  which 
clearly  applies  to  Alexander  the  Great,  who  broke  to  pieces 
the  Persian  Empire,  and  whose  conquests  were  so  rapid  he 
seemed  to  fly,  and  there  was  no  power  that  could  stand  before 
him.  Alexander's  victories  over  the  Persians  at  the  Granicus, 
at  Issus,  and  at  Arbela,  were  as  easy  as  they  were  rapid  and 
decisive.  "  Therefore  the  he-goat  waxed  very  great,"  having 
conquered  all  the  world  in  twelve  years,  when  suddenly  "  the 
great  horn  was  broken,"  but  not  in  battle,  Alexander  dying 
a  natural  death,  in  the  zenith  of  his  glory  and  power, 
KC.  323. 

After  this  a  fourth  beast  apjjeared,  exceedingly  terrible,  with 
*' great  iron  teeth,"  "nails  of  brass,"  and  "ten  horns."''  All 
admit  that  this  monster  represents  the  Roman  monarchy ;  ex- 
ceedingly strong  and  fierce,  oppressing  her  subjects,  and  de- 
vouring the  nations  she  conquered.     The  horns  denote  the  ten 

'  Daniel  viii,  7.  "^  Daniel  vii,  7-23. 


FALL   OF  THE   GllKCIAX   EMPIRE.  477 

"kingdoms  out  of  Avliicli  the  empire  was  formed,  and  the  great 
extent  of  her  dominions. 

These  beasts  are  represented  as  coming  up  out  of  a  troubled 
sea,  indicating  that  these  monarchies  arose  from  the  disturbed 
state  of  society,  political  storms,  civil  wars  or  revolutions, 
brought  about  by  ambitious  men.  The  Almighty,  however, 
overrules  all  these  warring  elements  for  his  own  glory,  and  i:i 
due  time  sets  up  his  kingdom  of  righteousness  and  truth,  that 
is  to  control  the  destiny  of  our  world. 

After  the  goat's  "  notable  horn  "  was  broken,  or  the  death  of 
"  the  king  of  Grecia,"  '  there  came  up  four  others,  ''  toward  the 
four  winds  of  heaven;"  plucking  up  and  dividing  Alexander's 
kingdom,  but  "  not  to  his  posterity."  *  No  one  was  ever  more 
ambitious  to  leave  a  numerous  family  behind  Iiim,  and  yet  it 
is  a  singular  fact  that  all  the  near  relatives  of  this  great  general 
either  died  or  were  cruelly  murdered  within  a  short  time  of 
his  own  death,  so  that  none  of  his  own  kindred  were  left  to  in- 
herit the  vast  dominions  he  conquered  with  his  sword.  Those 
who  succeeded  him  were  four  of  his  generals:  Cassander, 
toward  the  west,  in  Europe;  Lysimachus,  toward  the  north, 
in  Asia  Minor ;  Ptolemy,  toward  the  south,  in  Egypt ;  and 
Seleucus,  toward  the  east,  in  Syria  and  Persia  ;  forming  four 
strong  kingdoms,  all  of  which,  subsequently,  were  absorbed  by 
the  fourth  monarchy. 

Out  of  one  of  these  horns  that  sprang  from  the  l;)roken 
•"notable  horn,"  there  "came  forth  a  little  horn,"'  plucking 
"  up  by  the  roots  "  three  of  the  horns  belonging  to  the  beast 
with  ten  horns.  This  prophecy  has  generally  be,.n  applied  to 
the  papal  power,  but  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  rise  of  Mohara- 

'  Daniel  viii,  '11.         *  Daniel  xi,  4.         ^  Daniel  viii,  9. 


478  APPENDIX. 

medanism,  wliich  arose  after  the  ''  stone  "  had  struck  the  feet 
of  the  great  image,  and  "phieked  up"  .Arabia,  Egypt,  and 
gyi-ia — three  Roman  provinces — from  the  shattered  empire  of 
the  Cgesars.  This  '■'  httle  horn,"  or  crescent,  had  ''  eyes  like 
the  e/es  of  man,"  '  denoting  that  it  was  a  far-seeing,  sagacious, 
cu?niing  hierarcliy,  a  rehgious,  miHtary  despotism,  formed  out 
of  the  feet  of  the  broken  image,  which  were  "  part  of  chiy,  and 
part  of  iron  ; "  hence,  it  was  a  mixture  of  strength,  and  weak- 
ness, rehgion  and  pohtics,  truth  and  error.  Though  Moham- 
med taught  some  important  truths,  lie  gave  to  the  world  noth- 
ing good  which  Christ  had  not  given  centTiries  before.  It 
appears  that  this  system  was  formed  out  of  the  ''  feet  and 
toes"  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  image;  and  it  at  least  is  a  curious 
fact,  that  the  Ottoman  Empire,  the  seat  of  this  hierarchy,  has 
always  been  governed  by  rashas,  the  meaning  of  which  is, 
<'  the  feet  of  the  Shah." 

Though  little  at  first,  it  "waxed  exceedingly  great  toward  the 
south,  and  toward  the  east,  and  toward  the  pleasant  land," 
that  is,  in  Egypt,  Arabia,  and  Palestine,  making  '^  war  against 
the  saints,  and  prevailing  against  them  ;  "  casting  "  down  the 
truth  to  the  ground,"  and  taking  away  "  the  place  of  his  sanc- 
tuary," which  is  literally  true  of  Islamism.  All  her  conquests 
have  been  by  the  sword,  and  there  is  no  bloodier  chapter  in 
history  than  the  wars  of  Mohammed  and  his  successors  against 
the  followers  of  Christ. 

Mohammed  was  born  at  Mecca,  A.D.  570,  but  died  and  was 

buried  at  Medina,  200  miles  north  of  Mecca.     His  tomb  is  in 

the  south-east  corner  of  an  old  mosque,  inclosed  Avitli  a  silver 

j-ailing,  and  overhung  with  a  green  velvet  pall,  richly  wrought 

'  Chap,  vii,  8. 


Mohammed's  tomb.  481 

in  gold  and  silver.  Suspended  over  his  grave  is  a  gorgeous 
chandelier,  a  present  from  the  Sultan,  liung  with  sparkling 
prisms.  Large  wax  candles  stand  in  golden  sockets  on  the  right 
and  left,  and  the  whole  effect  is  most  solemn  and  impressive. 
Caliph  Omar,  his  successor,  lies  buried  by  his  side.  Pilgrimages 
are  annually  made  to  his  tomb  and  to  Mecca  by  pious  Moslems 
from  all  parts  of  the  East.  They  come  in  caravans,  often  many 
thousands  together,  from  the  remotest  parts  of  Asia,  Africa, 
and  Europe,  under  the  superstitious  belief  that  their  salvation 
depends  on  seeing  the  tomb  of  their  great  Prophet. 

The  principal  object  of  interest  at  Mecca  is  a  building  about 
forty  feet  square  by  fifty  high,  known  as  the  Kaaba,  that  stands 
in  the  center  of  the  great  mosque,  and  is  said  to  have  been  built 
by  Abraham.  It  is  also  claimed  that  Ishmael  is  buried  here, 
and  that  here  God  manifested  himself  to  the  patriarchs  of  old. 
One  thing  is  certain,  this  place  has  long  been  regarded  with 
religious  awe,  and  was  a  seat  of  worship  for  a  thousand  years  be- 
fore Mohammed  was  born.  The  Kaaba,  of  which  very  little 
is  known,  is  covered  like  a  coffin  with  a  black  pall ;  and  about 
five  feet  from  the  ground,  inserted  in  the  outer  wall,  is  a  black 
stone  seven  inches  in  diameter,  of  irregular  shape,  and  sup- 
posed by  the  credulous  to  possess  miraculous  powers.  This 
stone,  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven,  and  which  looks  very 
much  like  an  aerolite,  the  pilgrims  kiss  after  bathing  and 
marching  around  the  shrine  seven  times,  dressed  in  robes  of 
spotless  white.  This  completes  their  pilgrimage,  and  they  re- 
turn home  to  die,  feeling  that  the  great  end  of  life  with  them 
has  been  attained.  Many  never  live  to  return  to  their  native 
land,  and  some  in  their  superstition  put  out  their  sight,  that 
they  may  die  with  the  vision  of  the  Kaaba  before  them. 
31 


482  APPENDIX. 

Moharamedanisin  is  still  a  great  power,  prevalent  througlioiit 
the  Orient.  Kot  less  than  one  hundred  and  eighty  millions  of 
our  race  daily  turn  their  faces  toward  Mecca  when  they  pray. 
The  Sultan  of  Turkey,  who  is  regarded  by  all  good  Moslems  as 
"the  shadow  of  God  on  earth,"  is  the  civql  head  of  this  vast 
host,  and  the  Shereef  of  Mecca  is  their  high-priest  or  spiritual 
head.  They  are  all  the  avowed  enemies  of  the  Cross,  and  a& 
intolerant,  fanatical,  and  blood-thirsty  as  in  the  days  of  the 
Caliphs.  This  is  the  religious  element  in  the  Eastern  question, 
and  will  be  tlie  great  difficulty  in  the  settlement  of  that  ques- 
tion. Christianity  and  Islamism  can  never  compromise  or 
combine.  They  hopelessly  diverge  from  each  other  in  precept 
and  practice.  One  is  cruel  and  oppressive,  blasting  everything 
it  touches,  and  can  only  live  by  blood.  When  it  ceased  con- 
quering by  the  sword  it  began  to  decline  and  relapse  into 
barbarism.  The  other  is  liberal  and  progressive,  elevating 
and  ennobling  man ;  makes  all  its  conquests  by  love,  and 
carries  with  it,  wherever  it  goes,  peace,  prosperity,  and  civil- 
ization. 

Naturally  the  Mussulman  is  docile  and  submissive,  but,  when 
lired  by  religious  fanaticism,  his  frenzy  knows  no  bounds.  It 
was  this  enthusiasm  that  carried  the  Crescent  to  the  gates  of 
Vienna,  and  planted  it  on  the  walls  of  Granada  ;  and  for  cent- 
uries this  delusion  hung  like  a  death  pall  over  southern  Europe, 
and  seemed  destined  to  sweep  every  thing  before  it. 

Some  timid  persons  apprehend  danger  from  the  same  source 
in  the  near  future.  The  Moslems  still  claim  to  have  the  "  Flag 
of  the  Prophet,"  a  faded  green  silk  banner,  with  a  few  texts 
from  the  Koran  upon  it,  which  is  said  to  be  the  same  carried 
by  Mohammed  in  his  wars.     It  is  the  sacred  standard  of  theio- 


THE  FLAG  OF  THE  PROPHET.  483 

faith,  and  is  regarded  by  the  superstitious  as  possessing  some 
magic  power,  and  if  unfurled  "  would  set  the  whole  world 
ablaze."  It  should  be  black,  for  it  is  a  banner  of  blood,  allows 
no  mercj  to  be  shown,  and  when  thrown  to  the  breeze  every 
follower  of  the  Prophet,  under  the  penalty  of  eternal  punish- 
ment, is  required  to  take  up  arms  and  die  if  necessary  in  defense 
of  his  religion. 

Several  things,  however,  assure  us  that  there  is  no  immediate 
danger  to  be  feared  from  this  source.  First,  the  flag  itself, 
which  is  kept  in  the  Mosque  of  St.  Sophia,  is  so  old  and  rotten 
it  would  not  bear  unfurling,  and  is  not  likely  ever  again  to  be 
taken  from  its  golden  case  to  call  the  faithful  to  arms.  Then, 
their  own  internal  dissensions,  the  numerous  sects  and  factions 
into  which  the  followers  of  Islam  are  divided,  and  the  vast 
territory  they  occupy,  being  scattered  over  three  continents, 
tend  greatly  to  weaken  their  influence.  And,  finally,  the 
greater  intelligence,  wealth  and  power  of  the  Christian  na- 
tions, especially  England,  with  her  powerful  navy,  in  possession 
of  Gibraltar,  Malta,  Cyprus,  Egypt,  Aden,  and  India,  can  effect- 
ually prevent  any  combined  aggressive  movement  from  this 
quarter. 

This  whole  system  of  antichrist,  like  the  kingdoms  preced- 
ing it,  is  to  be  overthrown  and  absorbed  by  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom. According  to  the  prophecy  it  was  to  prevail  "until 
judgment  was  given  to  the  saints," '  which  may  refer  to  the 
final  verdict  to  be  rendered  by  the  Christian  powers  of  Europe, 
who  are  to  sit  in  judgment  on  this  whole  Eastern  question,  and 
administer  on  the  "  sick  man's  "  estate.  "  The  end  shall  be  at 
the  time   appointed ; " '   when  "  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and 

1  Daniel  vii,  22.         ^panjei  ^i,  27. 


484  _  APPENDIX. 

they  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  and  it  shall  bo  given  to  the 
people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an 
everlasting  kingdom." ' 

Its  duration  was  limited  to  1260  prophetic  days,''  or  years,  a 
day  answering  for  a  year,  and  if  we  add  this  number  to 
A.  D.  022,  the  Mohammedan  llegira,  or  time  of  the  Prophet's 
flight  from  Mecca,  we  have  as  our  resultant  the  year  1SS2,  as 
the  period  for  the  downfall  of  this  hierarchy.  This  is  tlie 
Jewish  mode  of  reckoning,  or  thirty  days  to  the  month.  Our 
mode  of  computation  would  make  a  few  years  dilference :  or  if 
we  date  our  calculations  from  Mohammed's  return  to  Mecca, 
it  would  add  six  years  to  our  estimate.  From  the  obscurity  of 
prophecy  previous  to  its  fulhllment,  we  are  cautioned  not  to 
assign  the  date  of  future  events  too  confidently.  It,  however, 
is  only  a  question  of  time,  not  of  fact.  "  The  time  of  the  end 
ishall  come ; "  and  many  things  appear  to  indicate  the  speedy 
fall  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  the  only  centralizing  power  of 
Mohammedanism. 

Daniel,  in  closing  up  his  prophcies  relating  to  the  kingdoms 
of  this  world,  foretold  occurrences  which  have  not  been  fully 
understood,  but  which,  we  think,  clearly  apply  to  the  Turkish 
power  and  current  events.  For  instance,  "  The  ships  of  Chit- 
tim  shall  come  against  him :  therefore  he  shall  be  grieved." ' 
Any  one  who  will  examine  this  prophecy  touching  the  "king  of 
the  north"  invading  the  south,  taking  the  "fenced  cities,"  lay- 
ing his  "  hand  on  Egypt,"  and  devouring  the  "  glorious  land," 
will  find  that  reference  is  had  to  the  Turkish  conquest  of  these 
countries,  and  that  Cyprus  is  the  Chittim  of  the  Scriptures. 
'This  island  is  now  an  English  colony,  and,  what  seems  siugu- 

1  Daniel  vii,  26,  27.         =  Daniel  vii,  25.  ^  Daniel  xi,  30. 


PROPHECY   FULFILLED,  485 

lar,   the   ships  that  lately  bombarded  Alexandria  came   from 
Chittim,  greatly  to  the  grief  and  indignation  of  the  Sultan. 

"  But  tidings  out  of  the  east  and  out  of  the  north  shall 
trouble  him."  '  Nothing  has  given  the  Porte  more  trouble  of 
late  than  the  Eussian  advance  on  llarat  and  the  other  move- 
ments of  the  great  Bear  in  the  east  and  north,  closing  in  upon 
him  on  every  hand.  "Therefore  he  shall  go  forth  with  great 
fury  to  destroy,  and  he  shall  plant  the  tabernacle  of  his  palace 
between  the  seas  in  the  glorious  holy  mountain."  '  This  would 
indicate  the  Sultan's  retreat  from  Constantinople  to  some  place 
in  Palestine,  perhaps  Jerusalem,  where  he  will  make  his  last 
stand.  This  would  be  "  between  the  seas,"  and  in  ''  the  holy 
mountain  " — Moriah — where  Solomon's  glorious  temple  once 
stood,  and  from  which,  according  to  the  legend,  Mohammed 
ascended  to  heaven.  But  this  will  only  be  for  a  brief  period. 
His  palace  being  nothing  but  a  "  tabernacle,"  a  temporary 
structure,  and  his  days  numbered.  "  Yet  he  shall  come  to  his 
end  and  none  shall  help  him  ; "  England  and  France  have  helped 
him  out  on  other  occasions,  but  now  all  his  allies  desert  him, 
and  the  kingdom  of  the  Crescent,  that  has  desolated  the  Holy 
Land  for  more  than  a  thousand  years,  and  laid  waste  the  fairest 
portion  of  our  globe,  shall  speedily  come  to  a  shameful  end. 

"  And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people ;  and  there 
shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a 
nation." '  The  time  of  trouble  here  alluded  to  may  refer  to 
the  great  final  struggle  between  the  Crescent  and  the  Cross — 
"  Gog  and  Magog  " — that  is  to  witness  the  signal  overthrow  of 
antichrist,  and   the  triumph  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  on 

'Dauiel  xi,  44.         ^  Daniel  xi,  45.         ^  Daniel  xii,  1. 


486  APPENDIX. 

earth.  Micliael  the  archangel,  who  has  always  been  the  pro- 
tector of  God's  people,  now  takes  the  field  and  commands  the 
Christian  host.  This  last  great  battle  will  probably  take  place 
at  Meo-iddo,  on  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  the  scene  of  so  many 
bloody  conflicts.  Here,  as  we  learn  from  the  hieroglyphic  in- 
scriptions on  the  walls  of  the  Temple  at  Karnak,  Thothmes 
III.,  before  the  exodus,  when  the  Canaanites  still  occupied 
the  land,  fought  a  great  battle,  and  he  gives  us  the  names  of 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  towns  he  conquered  in  Palestine 
durint'-  that  campaign.  Here  Necho,  another  of  the  Pharaohs, 
seven  centuries  before  Christ,  on  his  march  to  Assyria,  defeated 
the  Israelites,  and  slew  Josiah,  the  wise  and  pious,  but  over- 
zealous,  king  of  Judali.'  Here  Barak  overthrew  the  hosts  of 
Sisera  with  their  "  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron." '  Here,  also, 
Gideon  routed  and  put  to  flight  the  countless  army  of  the 
Midianites,  slaying  of  their  number  ''one  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  men  that  drew  the  sword.'"  And  here,  upon  this 
same  bloody  field  of  Megiddo,  where  the  armies  of  Israel  have 
so  often  met  their  foes  in  battle,  probably  the  last  great  con- 
flict of  Armageddon*  is  to  take  place,  that  shall  witness  the 
destruction  of  God's  enemies  and  the  estabhshnient  o.'  Christ's 
kingdom  throughout  the  world. 

'  2  Kiuo-3  xxiii,  29.     *  Judges  iv,  13.     =*  Judges  viii,  10.     ''Revelation  xvi,  16. 


CHAPTER   III. 

CONCLCSIOJ^ jMULTUM  IN  PARVO. 

Anthenticity  of  Scfiptnre  —  Egyptian  Sculpture  —  Colossal  Sphinx  —  Southern 
Cross — Pyramids  of  Ghizeh — Sinaiiic  Inscription — AVilderness  of  Wander- 
ing—  Ash  Beds  of  the  Israehtes'  Camp-fires  —  Ovcrihro.v  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah — Lot's  Wife — Confirmation  of  Book  of  Daniel — Exploraiions  in 
Assyria — Lion's  Den  and  Fiery  Purnace — Ur  of  tlie  Chaldees — Home  of 
Abraliam — Temple  of  the  Moon — Ancient  G-raves — Tower  of  Babel — Writing 
4,000  Years  Old — Late  Discoveries  at  Pumpeii,  Mycenae,  and  Troy — Deluge 
Records — Discovery  of  Sippara,  Oldest  City  in  the  World. 

IN  2)re])ai'inp^  this  volume  our  aim  was  to  crowd  as  mucli 
information  as  possible  into  the  smallest  compass,  avoidini^ 
all  unnecessary  details,  giving  simply  the  latest  facts ;  leaving 
the  reader  to  draw  his  own  conclusions.  But  as  many  of  these 
statements  are  entirely  new  and  son:iewhat  startling,  and  as 
much  controversy  has  been  awakened  touching  the  correctness 
of  some,  we  deem  it  proper  to  append  a  few  chapters  of  addi- 
tional matter,  explaining  more  fully  certain  points  only  inci- 
dentally noticed. 

In  this  agnostic  age  there  is  a  disposition  to  rule  God  out  of 
the  universe,  ignore  entirely  the  supernatural,  doubt  all  revealed 
truths,  and  reject  every  thing  like  intuitive  knowledge,  receiv- 
ing that  only  as  truth  whicli  is  derived  tlirough  the  organs  of 
sense  ;  nothing  more  than  a  revival  of  the  old  Epicurean  phi- 
losophy, somewhat  modified.  Paul  had  to  combat  these  same 
errors,  and  denounces  this  class  of  infidels  as  "  proud  blasphem- 
ers, lovers  of  j^leasure  more  than  lovers  of  God  ;  men  of  cor- 
rupt minds — ever  learning  and  never  able   to  come   to  the 

■ib7 


488  APPENDIX. 

knowledge  of  the  truth."  '     ''  Nevertheless,"  the  apostle  adds, 
''  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure."  " 

Others,  who  are  not  willing  to  go  to  this  extreme,  deny  the 
historical  narratives  of  the  Old  Testament,  or  treat  them  as 
mere  legends  ;  reject  the  theory  of  the  origin  of  our  race  as 
given  in  the  book  of  Genesis  ;  ridicule  the  idea  of  God  dwell- 
ino-  with  the  patriarchs  ;  even  deny  that  Moses  was  the  author 
of  the  laws  he  gave  to  Israel,  or  that  David  composed  the 
psalms  ascribed  to  him  ;  and  boldly  assert  that  Solomon  never 
wrote  the  Proverbs  that  bear  his  name. 

We  are  free  to  confess  that  we  have  no  sympatl^y  with 
the  above  views.  The  Bible  states  certain  great  facts,  and 
these  facts  are  recorded  in  God's  word  because  they  are  facts. 
"We  believe  in  the  genuineness  and  divine  authenticity  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  liave  published  our  explorations  in  the 
East  to  fihow  how  wonderfully  late  discoveries  in  the  lands  of 
the  Bible  corroborate  the  statements  of  the  inspired  volume. 

We  have  studiously  avoided  speaking  positively  concerning 
any  place  or  event  where  a  doubt  existed  in  reference  to  its 
correctness.  In  our  remarks  on  Egyptian  hieroglyphics  we 
carefully  qualify  every  expression,  giving  only  a  few  brief 
details,  and  merely  cite  Brugsch  Bey  in  reference  to  the  fam- 
ine,' because  that  learned  Egyptologer  believed  that  di- 
rect allusion  is  here  had  to  the  famine  that  prevailed  in 
the  days  of  Joseph.  He  affirms  that  the  text  is  perfectly 
simple  and  clear,  and  that  the  most  rigid  criticism  cannot 
object  to  his  conclusions.*  The  sculptures  represent  a  num- 
ber of  slaves  carrying  wheat  in  sacks,  and  filling  the  royal 
granaries. 

1  2  Timothy,  iii,  2-7.     ^ Timothy  ii,  19.     »  Page  25.     ■*  Histoire  d'Egypte,  p.  177. 


EGYPTIAN  SCULPTURE. 


489 


We  do  not  know  positively  that  the  persons  represented 
making  brick  in  the  sculpture'  are  Jews,  but  they  appear 
to  be,  and  the  inference  is,  they  are.  Here  may  be  seen 
a  large  number  of  slaves  going  through  the  whole  process 
of  making  bricks,  under  the  eyes  of  their  task  -  masters, 
and,  above  the  sculpture,  an  order  of  the  king  directing  the 
captives  "  to  build  the  temple  of  the  great  god."  True,  the 
slaves  are  not  called  Hebrews  in  the  royal  decree,  but  they 
have  Asiatic  features,  and  are  evidently  of  the  Semitic  race, 


JTPTIAN    GRANARIES. 


some  of  them  with  bearded  faces,  looking  very  much  like 
Jews  ;  and  as  the  Hebrews  were  the  only  foreigners,  so  far  as 
known,  in  bondage  at  that  time  in  Egypt,  is  it  not  more 
than  probable  that  reference  is  here  had  to  the  oppressed 
Israelites  ? 

That  the  colossal  Sphinx  was  an  idol  and  the  local  deity  of 

the  old  Egyptians,  is  fully  attested  by  the  sanctuary  in  front 

of  the  image,  and  the  altar  of  incense  that  stood  between  its 

huge  paws.     On  a  monumental  tablet,  older  than  the  pyra- 

'  See  page  25. 


490  APPENDIX. 

inids,  lately  found  by  M.  Mariette,  near  the  Spliinx,  and  now 
in  the  museum  at  Cairo,  may  be  seen  representations  of  all 
the  principal  Egyptian  divinities,  and  among  them  the  Sphinx, 
which  is  called  the  god  of  IIor-Em-khoo — ''  The  sun  in  his 
resting-place."  On  another  tablet,  found  in  the  sanctuary  of 
the  Sphinx,  Thothmes  IV.  is  represented  offering  a  libation 
and  incense  to  this  god  ;  and  on  two  other  tablets  in  this 
same  temple  are  similar  representations  of  Rameses  the  great 
worshiping  the  same  deity,  to  which  are  ascribed  all  the 
attributes  of  a  god,  such  as  granting  power  and  life  to  the 
king  ;  showing,  as  Pliny  observes,  that  the  Sphinx  partook 
of  the  character  of  a  local  deity,  and  received  divine  honors. 

Some  have  questioned  whether  the  Southern  Cross  could 
be  seen  from  the  Nile  Valley  between  Thebes  and  Syene ; 
but  there  is  no  ground  for  doubt  in  the  case.  I  carefully 
noted  down  every  event  of  interest,  and  by  referring  to  my 
diary  under  date  of  January  7,  1875,  I  find  the  following 
entry  :  "Tied  our  boat  up  last  night  a  few  miles  above  Luxoi'. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mills,  from  Cincinnati,  O. ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Balch, 
of  New  York,  and  Mr.  Warner,  from  Hartford,  Conn.,  came 
on  board  to  spend  the  evening.  About  live  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing we  had  a  fine  view  of  the  Southern  Cross,  which  appeared 
far  away  to  the  south,  directly  above  the  green  waters  of  the 
Nile.  The  effect  was  grand.  The  sky  being  clear  and  the 
night  favorable,  with  no  hills  to  obstruct  our  vision."  So,  if 
this  constellation,  as  some  contend,  cannot  be  seen  north  of 
about  twenty-four  degrees  of  north  latitude,  the  maps  of 
Egypt  are  incorrectly  drawn,  and  Thebes  should  be  located 
several  degrees  further  south. 

Our   statement   that   the   Great   Pyramid   of   Cheops  was 


GKEAT  PYRAMID   OF  CHEOPS.  491 

originally  beautifully  cased  and  covered  with  hieroglyphics, 
is  supported  by  the  best  authorities,  both  ancient  and  modern. 
The  father  of  historians  says :  '*  On  the  outside  were  inscribed 
in  Egyptian  characters  the  various  sums  of  money  expended 
in  the  progress  of  the  work,"  etc.  ;  '  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson, 
that  "  it  was  covered  with  a  smooth  inaccessible  casing."  " 
And  Dean  Stanley  adds,  "  It  also  seems  that  these  smooth 
outsides  were  covered  with  sculpture."  '  According  to  the 
Hindoo  records,  it  was  "  cased  with  colored  marbles,"  wdiich, 
^t  least,  is  probable,  as  fragments  of  marble  and  granite  were 
found  among  the  debris.  And  Dr.  Shaw,  in  his  Travels,  says,* 
"  It  was  incrusted  all  over  with  the  finest  granite  marble." 
All  of  which  is  confirmed  by  Abd-el-Lateef,  who  states  that 
"the  polished  exterior  stones  were  covered  with  writing,  which, 
if  copied  upon  paper,  would  fill  more  than  ten  thousand  pages." 
As  a  settlement,  however,  of  all  disputes  upon  this  subject. 
Col.  Howard  Vyse,  in  1837,  actually  discovered  two  of  the 
casing-stones  in  situ,  and  on  the  Pyramid  of  Chephren,  near 
by,  more  than  ten  thousand  square  feet  of  the  original  casing 
may  still  be  seen.  Then,  it  is  a  historic  fact  that  the  casing- 
stones  of  the  Great  Pyramid  were  removed  in  A.  D.  1166,  by 
order  of  Sultan  Saladin,  to  build  his  citadel  at  Cairo. 

Pliny,  in  describing  the  grand  temple  of  Diana,  says :  "  It 
was  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  in  length,  two  hundred 
and  twenty  broad,  and  supported  by  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
feven  columns,  each  of  which  had  been  contributed  by  some 
prince,  and  were  sixty  feet  high  ;  thirty-six  of  them  were 
richly  carved." '     Falkner  and  other  historians  speak  of  its 

•^  Herodotus,  book  ii,  Eut.  cxxv.  '  Wilkinson's  Hand-book  of  Egypt,  p,  185. 

^Siuai  and  Palestine,  p.  52.       *  Vol.  ii.,  p.  201.       ^  Hist.  Nat.,  xxxiv.,  21. 


492  APPENDIX. 

roof  being  of  cedar  and  cypress.'  We  were  present  wlien  Dr. 
Wood  discovered  this  long-buried  temple  in  1871.  We  did 
not  measure  the  columns,  but  saw  the  coloring  and  gilding  on 
them,  and  the  charred  remains  of  the  edifice.  And  it  is  diffi- 
cult for  us  to  conceive  how  a  building,  constructed  entirely  of 
marble,  as  some  contend,  could  be  destroyed  by  fire — a  historic 
fact  never  before  denied. 

The  Sinaitic  inscriptions  are  not  confined  to  Wady  Mnkat- 
teb,  but  are  found  all  over  the  peninsula  of  Sinai.  Some,, 
doubtless,  are  Nabathean,  and  others  Christian,  but  those  in 
Wady  Magarah,  Dean  Stanley  says,  "  are  among  the  oldest  hie- 
roglyphics in  the  world."  ^  And,  what  at  least  is  interesting^ 
an  oval  was  here  found  bearing  the  identical  name  of  JosepK 
the  Hebrew.  Cosmas,  the  Indian  traveler,  about  A.  D.  518, 
makes  mention  of  the  rocks  in  the  peninsula  being  "  written 
with  carved  Hebrew  characters.''  And  Diodorus,  six  centuries 
earlier,  B.  C.  59,  of  a  stone  altar,  "  very  old,  inscribed  with, 
ancient  unknown  letters."  ° 

Dr.  S.  C.  Bartlett,  in  his  "  Egypt  to  Palestine,"  speaks  of 
numerous  ash-beds  he  discovered  in  the  desert  of  wandering,  some 
with  chai'coal  in  them.^  These  hillocks,  Mr.  Palmer  says,  "  are 
found  for  miles  around,  generally  small  inclosures  of  stone,  the 
largest  about  twelve  feet  in  diameter,  and  evidently  the  remains 
of  a  large  encampment.  The  stones  show  the  action  of  fire, 
and  on  digging  we  found  charcoal  in  great  a])undance."  *  These 
ash-beds  are  out  in  the  desert,  where  there  never  could  have 
been  either  water  or  vegetation  to  sustain  a  village.  They  are 
also  on  the  direct  route  of  the  Israelites,  and  Mr.  Palmer  gives 

*  Ephesiis  and  Temple  of  Diana,  1857.  ^  Sinai  and  Palestine,  pp.   57,  71. 

3  Diodorus,  iii,  42.     "  Page  290.     ^  Desert  of  the  Exodus,  pp.  25-27. 


WILDERNESS  OF  WANDERING,  403 

it  as  his  opinion  that  tliey  not  only  mark  the  encampment  of 
Israel,  but  that  the  graves  outside  the  camp  are  the  graves  of 
those  who  were  cut  olf  by  the  plague  mentioned  Numbei-s 
xi,  34.  Dean  Stanley  says,  "  These  rude  burial  grounds,  with 
the  many  nameless  head-stones,  found  in  the  wilderness  of  w^an- 
dering,  far  away  from  human  habitation,  are  such  as  the  host 
of  Israel  must  have  left  behind  them  at  the  different  stages  of 
their  progress."  The  Arabs  still  call  them,  Turbet  es  Yahoud 
— "  the  graves  of  the  Jews."  ' 

Lieut.  Conder,  after  describing  several  of  these  ash-heaps  on 
the  plain  of  Gilgal,  closes  liis  report  w^ith  the  remark :  "  It  may 
seem  bold  to  suppose  that  these  mounds  are  traces  of  the  per- 
manent Israelite  camp  on  the  spot,  yet  we  know  that  nothing 
in  Palestine  is  more  ancient  than  are  such  earthworks."  *  Some 
of  these  hillocks  have  since  been  found  to  contain  calcined 
stones,  charcoal,  ashes,  and  other  traces  of  a  deserted  camp. 

Though  but  little  remains  of  ancient  Jericho — not  a  house — 
its  site  is  easily  determined  by  the  fountains  and  aqueducts 
that  supplied  the  city  with  water,  also  by  the  ford  of  the  Jor- 
dan, and  old  highway  leading  to  Jerusalem,  and  by  the  stone 
quarries,  brick  kilns,  and  other  earth-works  that  still  mark  the 
spot.  That  there  are  pillars  of  salt  standing  in  every  fantastic 
shape  in  the  vicinity  of  Jebel  Usdum  on  the  shores  of  the  Dead 
Sea,  and  that  others  are  constantly  forming  by  accretion  from 
the  spray  and  exhalations  of  the  sea,  all  wdio  have  explored  that 
region  will  admit ;  and  as  no  corpse  would  likely  decompose  in 
such  a  locality,  but  would  soon  become  incrusted  with  salt,  and 
in  time  a  pillar  of  salt,  there  is  nothing  very  marvelous  in  the 
Bible  statement  that  Lot's  wife  "  became  a  pillar  of  salt." ' 

*  Sinai  and  Palestine,  p.  23.    "^  Quarterly  Statement,  April,  1874.    ^  Genesis  xix,  26. 


494  APPENDIX. 

Our  theory  of  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  and 
the  other  cities  of  the  plain  by  volcanic  agency  is  sustained  by 
the  general  character  of  the  country  and  all  recent  explorations 
in  the  Glior.  Russegger,  after  expressing  his  opinion  that  the 
whole  valley  of  the  Jordan  was  volcanic  in  its  origin,  remarks : 
"  This  idea  is  supported  by  the  crater-like  form  of  the  basins 
of  the  Lake  of  Tiberias  and  the  Dead  Sea,  and  ])_y  the  many 
other  tokens  of  volcanic  action,  past  and  present."  ' 

From  Hon.  George  Grove  we  learn  that  in  Palo>;tine,  Ijitu- 
men  or  asphaltum  is  only  met  with  in  the  valley  of  the  Jordan ; 
that  the  rocks  and  soil  on  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  are  volcanic ;, 
that  streams  of  lava,  very  porous,  containing  much  pumice  and 
scoria,  with  beds  of  basalt,  are  found  back  of  Tiberias,  and  three 
ancient  craters  near  Safed  ;  that  east  of  the  Jordan  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  remarkable  developments  of  igneous  rocks  are  found, 
covering  a  large  portion  of  the  surface  from  Damascus  to 
south  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  beyond,  and  that  the  hot,  salt,  and 
fetid  springs  along  the  valley  of  the  Jordan,  and  the  rock  salt, 
niter,  and  sulphur  of  the  Dead  Sea,  are  all  evidences  of  volcanic 
or  plutonic  action '  — facts  which  we  also  gather  from  Newboid,, 
Sir  Charles  Lyell,  Drake,  Tristram,  and  many  others. 

M.  Lartet  found  basalt  and  other  evidences  of  volcanic  ac- 
tion in  the  Jordan  valley,  and  directly  east  of  the  Dead  Sea. 
traces  of  three  eruptions  reaching  down  to  its  shores.  He  also 
mentions  hot  springs  and  bituminous  erui^tions  similar  to  those 
which  follow  volcanic  action.  And  yet  he  did  not  see  all,  as 
Lieut.  Conder,  after  showing  that  the  Jordan  crevasse  was. 
produced  by  volcanic  action,  and  that  the  country  around  Bai- 
san  w^as  purely  volcanic,  closes  his  report  with  the  statement  i 

'  Russegger,  p.  206.  *  Smith's  Bible  Dictionary,  article  Palestine. 


DAKIUS    THE    MEDE.  495' 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  tlie  ignorance  of  Palestine  ge- 
ology, that  this  great  field  of  basalt,  extending  over  perhaps 
two  hundred  square  miles,  is  not  shown  on  Lartet's  map."  ' 

Dean  Stanley,  referring  to  this  region,  says :  "  Traces  of  vol- 
canic agency  in  the  limestone  bed  of  the  Jordan  valley  are 
found  here  in  a  greater  degree  than  anywhere  else  in  Palestine^ 
Of  this  nature  are  the  masses  of  bitumen  which  give  their 
name  to  the  Asphaltic  Lake,  the  warm  sj)rings  at  Callirrhoe,  on 
the  Dead  Sea,  and  the  remains  of  lava  on  the  shore.  And  that 
some  such  means  were  employed  in  the  catastrophe  of  the  five- 
cities  is  now  generally  acknowdedged."  ^ 

Dr.  Thomson  gives  it  as  his  opinion  "  that,  until  the  destruc- 
tion of  Sodom,  this  was  a  fresh-water  lake,  and  that  its  charac- 
ter was  changed  at  that  time  by  the  obtrusion  from  below  of 
rock-salt  and  other  volcanic  products."^  And  Dr.  Anderson, 
Lieut.  Lynch's  geologist,  further  adds :  "  In  the  Jordan  valley 
the  basalt  is  frequently  encountered.  It  is  visible  on  the  banks 
and  in  the  bed  of  the  river,  but  so  covered  with  deposits  of 
tufa,  conglomerate  and  alluvium,  as  not  to  be  traceable  without, 
difficulty,"  *  clearly  showing  that  this  whole  region  has  fre- 
quently been  disturbed  by  earthquakes  and  volcanic  eruptions^ 

Researches  in  Assyria  very  fully  confirm  the  Book  of  Dan- 
iel, and  shed  much  additional  light  on  many  seemingly  conti-a- 
dictory  statements.  It  has  been  contended  that  "  Darius  tlie 
Mede,"  referred  to  by  Daniel,^  was  the  same  person  as  Darius 
the  Persian,  son  of  Hystaspes,  mentioned  by  Herodotus  and 
other  Greek  historians ;  and  that,  therefore,  the  biblical  chro- 
nology of  that  period  was  incorrect,  as  there  was  no  evidence 

'  Quarterly  Statement,  July,  1874.         « gjnai  and  Palestine,  p.  285. 
-Land  and  Book,  p.  623.        ■*  Anderson,  136-152.        *  Daniel  v,  31. 


496  APPENDIX. 

that  the  son  of  Ilystaspes  ever  reigned  in  Babylon.  Recent 
discoveries,  however,  show  that  this  is  an  error.  Dr.  Oppert, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  Assyrian  scliolars  in  France,  says  that 
at  least  fifty  tablets  have  been  recovered,  sliowing  that  Darius 
the  Persian  did  rule  at  Babylon  during  the  very  period  in  dis- 
pute. We  also  find  that  Nabonidus  and  his  eldest  son,  Bel- 
shazzar,  were  associated  in  the  government  of  tlie  country — 
hence  Daniel  was  made  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom,  Bel- 
shazzar  being  second ;  and  that  Nabonidus  was  at  Borsippa, 
and  Belshazzar  in  Babylon,  the  night  the  city  was  taken  by 
Cyrus. 

Another  confirmation  of  the  accuracy  of  this  book  has  also 
come  to  light.  Daniel  records  the  punishment  common  at 
Babylon  as  being  so  extremely  cruel,  such  as  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego  being  cast  into  a  burning  fiery  furnace,  and 
Daniel  and  his  enemies  into  a  den  of  lions,  that  some  have  de- 
nied the  authenticity  of  the  book  on  this  ground  alone.  In  the 
days  of  Asshur-bani-pal,  son  of  Esarhaddon,  King  of  Assyria, 
there  is  contemporary  evidence  that  both  these  punishments 
were  in  use  at  Babylon  a  few  years  before  the  reign  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar. Saulmugina,  brother  of  Asshur-bani-pal,  King  of 
Assyria,  was  made  by  his  relative  king  of  Babylon,  where  he 
reigned  prosperously  for  seven  years.  Afterward,  for  some 
unknown  reason,  he  rebelled  against  his  elder  brother,  but, 
after  a  severe  contest,  was  defeated  and  taken  jjrisoner.  The 
Assyrian  monarchs  appear  to  have  been  always  animated  with 
a  spirit  of  revenge.  Hence  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  among 
the  inscriptions  containing  the  annals  of  Asshur-bani-pal  the 
following :  "  I  ordered  Saulmugina,  my  rebellious  brother,  who 
made  war  with  me,  to  be  cast  into  a  fiery  hurning  furnace  !  " 


i,i!^ 

k;^ 

il 

%^ '  ,.^ 

l!!;ii' 

^i 

p^- 

r 


I 


TPIE  SCRIPTURES  CORROBORATED.  499 

Of  Saulmugiiia's  followers  many  perished  with  him  in  the 
flames,  and  of  those  who  escaped,  but  were  subsequently  capt- 
ured, it  is  said,  "  The  rest  of  the  people  I  threw  alive  among 
the  hulls  ami  lions,  as  Sennacherib,  my  grandfather,  used  to 
tin-ow  men  among  them.""' 

These  inscriptions  also  give  evidence  of  the  observance  of 
the  Sabbath  among  the  early  Babylonians.  The  cuneiform 
text  of  the  first  and  fifth  of  the  "  Creation  Tablets,"  published 
hy  the  late  George  Smith,  which  belong  to  the  reign  of  Asshur- 
bani-pal,  but  which  were  copies  of  earlier  inscriptions  supposed 
to  be  as  old  as  B.  C.  2000,  after  speaking  of  the  upper  region 
before  it  was  called  heaven,  and  the  lower  region  before  it  was 
called  earth,  and  the  abyss  of  Hades,  and  the  chaos  of  waters, 
says :  "  God  appointed  the  moon  to  rule  the  night,  and  to  wan- 
der through  the  night  until  the  dawn  of  day.  Every  month, 
without  fail,  God  made  holy  assembly  days.  In  the  beginning 
of  each  month,  at  tlie  rising  of  the  night,  the  moon  shot  forth 
its  horns  to  illuminate  the  heavens.  On  the  seventh  day  God 
appointed  a  holy  day,  and  commanded  to  cease  all  business." 
These  and  other  discoveries,  daily  made,  must  add  greatly  to 
our  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  and  tend  to  strengthen  our 
faith  in  the  accuracy  of  the  sacred  narrative. 

Some  scoffers  at  religion  have  greatly  amused  their  hearers 
I)y  pointing  out  what  they  term  the  "Mistakes  of  Moses,"  and 
among  these  blunders  the}'  cite  the  ark  resting  on  Mount  Ara- 
rat, 17,000  feet  above  the  sea,  amid  eternal  snows.  It  is  only 
monkish  tradition  that  locates  the  landing  of  E"oah  on  this 
r.iountain  in  Armenia.  There  is  nothing  in  the  Bible  to  war- 
rant any  such  notion.  The  name  Ararat  is  derived  from  the 
Babylonian  word  Urdu,  which  signifies  "'  highland ; "  and  all 


i:C/0  APPENDIX. 

AVG  know  touching  the  site  where  Noah  landed  is,  that  it  was 
somewhere  among  the  highknds  east  of  the  Euphrates. 

Kecent  explorations  in  Chaldsea  show  that  "  Ur  of  the  Chal- 
(Jees  " — the  city  of  Abraham — was  not  where  it  generally  was 
supposed  to  be,  at  Orfah,  in  North-western  Mesopotamia,  a 
comparatively  modern  city,  and  not  mentioned  on  the  tablets,' 
but  at  Mugheir,  in  lower  Babylonia,  west  of  the  Euphrates,  and 
near  the  head  of  the  Persian  Gulf.  If  Ur  was  in  Chalda^a, 
then  it  nnist  have  been  in  this  vicinity,  as  the  name  is  never 
applied  to  Mesopotamia  in  the  ancient  records. 

Extensive  ruins  have  been  discovered  here,  and  the  very 
name,  Hur  of  Khaldi,  in  Old  Armenian,  which  is  identical  with 
"  Ur  of  the  Chaldees  "  in  Hebrew,  has  been  found  here  on  the 
bricks  of  the  oldest  temple. 

Among  the  most  interesting  ruins  unearthed  is  the  old  temple 
of  the  Moon,  where  Abraham  probably  worshiped  before  his 
conversion.  In  the  foundations  of  this  temple  were  found  some 
of  the  oldest  inscribed  tablets  and  cyl- 
inders yet  discovered,  with  not  only  the 
name  of  the  city,  but  a  full  list  of  the 
kings  of  Ur,  dating  back  B.  C.  2230 
years,  among  them  Urukli,  the  first 
monumental  king,  and  Chedorlaomer,  whom  xVbraham  defeated 
at  Dan,^  wonderfully  confirming  the  Scripture  account. 

But  the  most  curious  remains  found  here  are  the  tombs  that 
encircle  the  city  for  miles.  It  must  have  been  the  necropolis 
for  all  Chald^a  for  many  centuries.  The  tombs  mostly  are 
brick  vaults,  drained  with  earthen  pipes,  and  containing  from 
three  to  eight  skeletons  each.     Those  not  in  vaults  are  buried 

1  George  Smith's  '"Genesis,"  p.  291.         ^  Genesis  xiv,  15. 


TJR  OF  THE  CHALDEES.  501 

in  terra-cotta  coffins,  piled  on  top  of  eacli  other,  thirty  and 
sixty  feet  deep.  Many  little  articles,  such  as  cups,  lamps, 
bracelets,  seals,  and  ornaments  of  different  kinds,  were  found 
with  the  dead.  Where  two  skeletons  were  in  the  same  grave, 
they  were  always  male  and  female,  likely  man  and  wife. 

Tlie  most  conspicuous  object  on  the  plain  of  Shinar,  about 
seven  miles  south-west  of  Hilleh,  modern  Babylon,  is  Birs-lSim- 
roud,  or  citadel  of  Ninn-od,  and  all  that  remains  of  the  famous 
Tower  of  Babel,  the  oldest  historic  monument  of  man.  In 
this  rich  valley  the  descendants  of  iSToah  settled  soon  after  the 
flood  ;  and,  as  a  bond  of  union,  commenced  building  a  city  and 
great  tower.  But,  as  this  was  contrary  to  the  divine  purpose 
of  replenishing  the  earth,  "  The  Lord  came  down  and  con- 
founded their  language."  "  So  they  were  scattered  abroad, 
and  left  off  to  huild  the  city.'"  '  This  is  the  only  intelligent 
account  we  have  of  the  dispersion  of  the  nations  and  the  di- 
versity of  languages  spoken  in  the  world.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  touching  the  identity  of  this  tower,  as  there  is  no  other 
such  ruin  on  all  the  plain.  The  Greeks  called  it  Borsippa,  or 
"  Tower  of  Tongues,"  only  another  name  for  Babel. 

After  lying  in  ruins  for  many  centuries,  it  was  rebuilt  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  dedicated  to  Jupiter  Belus  ;  and  Herodo- 
tus describes  this  temple  as  situated  at  Borsippa,  seven  miles 
south-west  from  Babylon,  the  precise  location  of  Birs-Nimroud  ; 
so  there  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  temple  of  Belus  covering 
the  site  of  the  Tower  of  Babel. 

But  what  seems  very  curious,  in  further  proof  of  the  identifi- 
cation of  this  tower,  an  inscription  has  been  found  among  its 
ruins,  which,  as  M.  Oppert  says,  gives  Nebuchadnezzar's  own 

1  Genesis  xi,  8-11. 


502  APPENDIX. 

account  of  the  rebuilding  of  Babel.     As  a  specimen  of  their 
ancient  docnnients,  we  give  the  inscription  entire  : 

"  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon,  shepherd  of  peoples, 
who  attest  the  immutable  affection  of  Merodach,'  the  mighty 
ruler — exalting  Nebo  ;  ^  the  Saviour  ;  the  wise  man,  who  lends 
his  ears  to  the  orders  of  the  highest  god  ;  the  lieutenant  with- 
out reproach,  the  repairer  of  the  Pyramid  and  the  Tower, 
eldest  son  of  Nabopolassar,  King  of  Babylon.     We  say : — 

"■  Merodach,  the  great  master,  has  created  me  ;  he  has  im- 
posed on  me  to  reconstruct  his  building.  Nebo,  the  guardian 
over  the  legions  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  has  charged  my 
hands  with  the  scepter  of  justice. 

"  The  Pyramid  is  the  temple  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth, 
the  seat  of  Merodach,  the  chief  of  the  gods,  the  place  of 
the  oracles,  the  spot  of  his  rest.  I  have  adorned  it  in  the  form 
of  a  cupola  with  shining  gold. 

"  The  Tower,  the  eternal  house,  which  I  founded  and  built, 
I  have  completed  its  magnificence  with  silver,  gold,  other 
metals,  stone,  enameled  bricks,  fir,  and  pine. 

"  The  first,  which  is  the  house  of  the  earth's  base,  the  most 
ancient  inonuinent  of  Babylon^  I  built  and  finished  it ;  I  have 
highly  exalted  its  head  with  bricks  covered  M'ith  copper. 

"  We  say  for  the  other,  that  is,  this  edifice,  the  House  of 
the  Seven  Lights  of  the  Earth,  the  most  ancient  monument  of 
Borsipjpa  y — a  former  king  huilt  it,  hut  he  did  not  complete 
its  head.  Since  a  rernoie  time  people  had  abandoned  it,  with- 
out order  expressing  their  words.  Since  that  time  the  earth- 
quake and  the  thunder  had  dispersed  its  sun-dried  clay  ;  the 

1  The  supreme  deity  of  Babylon.     ^  The  patron  of  learning,  or  genius  of  inspiration. 


TEMPLE  OF  BELUS TOWER  OF  BABEL.  503 

bricks  of  the  casing  had  beeu  split ;  and  the  earth  of  tlie  in- 
terior had  been  scattered  in  heaps.  Merodaeh,  the  great  lord, 
excited  my  mind  to  repair  this  building.  I  did  not  change  the 
site,  no?'  did  I  take  aioay  the  foundation  stone.  In  a  fortu- 
nate month,  an  ausjDicious  day,  I  undertook  to  build  porticoes 
around  the  crude  brick  masses  and  the  casing  of  burnt  bricks. 
I  put  the  inscription  of  my  name  in  the  porticoes,  I  set  my 
hand  to  finish  it,  and  to  exalt  its  head.  As  it  had  been  in 
former  times,  so  I  founded,  I  made  it ;  as  it  had  been  in 
ancient  days,  so  I  exalted  its  summit. 

"  Nebo,  son  of  himself,  ruler  who  exaltest  Merodaeh,  be  pro- 
pitious to  my  works,  to  maintain  my  authority.  Grant  me  a 
life  until  the  remotest  time,  a  sevenfold  progeny,  the  stability 
of  my  throne,  the  victory  of  my  sword,  the  paciiication  of  my 
foes,  the  triumph  over  the  lands  !  In  the  columns  of  thy 
eternal  table,  that  fix  the  destinies  of  the  heaven  and  earth, 
bless  the  course  of  my  days,  inscribe  the  fecundity  of  my 
race. 

"  Imitate,  O  Merodaeh,  King  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  fa- 
ther who  begot  thee  ;  bless  my  buildings,  strengthen  my  author- 
ity. May  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  King  repairer,  remain  before 
thy  face." 

This  inscription  very  clearly  shows  that  the  ruins  of  Birs- 
ISTimroud  are  on  the  original  foundation  of  the  Tower  of 
Babel. 

The  temple  of  Belus  was  in  the  form  of  a  pyramid,  stand- 
ing on  a  platform  of  crude  bricks  six  hundred  feet  square, 
and  seventy-five  feet  high.  Eising  from  this  platform,  cased 
with  enameled  bricks  in  different  colors,  or  overlaid  with  plates 


504 


APPENDIX. 


of  gold  or  silver,  were  seven  stages,  the  lower  one  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two  feet  square,  and  twenty-six  high  ;  the 
next  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  square  by  twenty-six  high  ; 
and  thus  diminishing  as  they  ascended.  On  the  summit  was 
the  chapel,  or  golden  cupola,  that  contained,  with  many  other 
images,  the  great  golden  statue  of  Belus,  forty  feet  high.  The 
seven  stages  represented  the  seven  lights  or  planets  of 
Earth,    hence     it    was     known     as     the    "  Temple    of    the 


Seven  Spheres."  The  interior  was  cased  wuth  glazed  hard- 
burned  brick  of  various  colors  ;  the  ceilings  w^ere  of  carved 
black-wood  fi-om  India,  supported  by  mosaic  columns,  and  the 
gates  of  the  finest  brass  or  bronze.  These  gates,  according  to 
Josephus,  were  made  out  of  the  two  bronze  pillars,  Boaz  and 
Jachin,  that  once  stood  at  the  entrance  to  Solomon's  temple, 
and  which  Nebuchadnezzar  carried  away  from  Jeruslem.' 
This  was  the  royal  residence  of  the  kings  of  Babylon.     It 

1  2  KiDg;s  XXV,  13. 


BIES-:XIMKOUD TOWER   OF  J3ABEL.  505 

was  here  jSTaboiiidus  was  taken  prisoner  by  Cyrus,  and  it  was 
in  the  courts  of  this  temj^le  that  his  father  before  him  ate  grass 
Uke  an  ox.  It  was  also  the  royal  treasury,  where  the  golden 
vessels  taken  from  the  house  of  the  Lord  at  Jerusalem,'  were 
deposited,  and  all  the  wealth  of  the  nation  kept,  which  must 
have  been  vast,  as  Xerxes,  on  his  return  from  his  disastrous  cam- 
paign in  Europe,  robbed  this  temj^le  of  $600,000,000  in  gold. 

All  that  remains  of  this  celebrated  temple  is  an  immense 
mound  of  sun-dried  bricks,  laid  with  bitumen ;  ^  a  truncated  cone 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  broken  off  abruptly  and  rent 
asunder.  The  sides  of  the  mound  are  deeply  furrowed  by  the 
storms,  and  the  whole  ruinous  heap  scathed  as  if  by  lightning. 
Mr.  Rassam  thinks  it  was  destroyed  by  volcanic  eruption,  which 
at  least  seems  probable,  as  the  brick  and  pottery  lying  around 
in  masses  have  been  fused  and  vitrified  by  some  intense  heat. 

Among  the  most  interesting  ruins  of  the  class  we  are  con- 
sidering, to  be  found  in  Europe,  are  Pompeii  and  Hercula- 
neum,  two  Roman  cities  destroyed  by  an  eruption  of  Vesuvius 
A.  D.  79.  Herculaneum  was  buried  beneath  a  torrent  of 
metallic  lava  so  hard  and  thick  as  to  defy  removal,  so  that 
most  of  the  city  remains  still  entombed,  and  a  modern  city  of 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants  lias  grown  up  over  the  site  of 
long-buried  Herculaneum.  Pompeii,  a  few  miles  to  the  east, 
was  destroyed  by  a  showier  of  hot  ashes  and  pumice  that  fell 
like  a  great  snow-storm  upon  the  place,  burying  it  to  the  depth 
of  from  ten  to  seventy  feet,  so  that  its  very  site  was  unknown 
for  more  than  seventeen  hundred  years,  and  only  discovered 
lately  by  a  mere  accident.     Since  then  the  governments  of 

'  2  Chronicles  xxxvi,  7. 

^  -They  had  brick  lor  stone,  and  slime  (or  bitumen)  for  moitnr."  Gene-is  xi,  3. 


506  APPENDIX. 

Euro2)e  have  been  at  work  clearing  away  this  great  deposit  of 
ashes  and  lava,  and  now  you  can  stroll  for  hours  and  days 
through  the  deserted  streets  and  dwellings  of  this  once  popu- 
lous city.  The  streets  are  nicely  paved,  with  sidewalks  and 
stepj)ing-stones  at  the  crossings.  On  some  of  the  houses  may 
still  be  seen  the  names  of  their  old  occupants,  others  were  la- 
beled "  To  Let,"  but  have  been  without  a  tenant  for  more 
than  eighteen  hundred  years.  In  the  Forum  there  was  a  call 
for  a  political  meeting  that  night,  but  it  stands  forever  ad- 
journed. The  houses  usually  face  an  open  court,  in  some  of 
which  were  fountains,  statues,  and  vases  for  flowers.  Others 
were  paved  in  mosaic  of  beautiful  designs — one  a  battle  scene, 
Alexander  in  the  battle  of  the  Granicus,  and  here  you  may 
see  the  war-chariot  and  prancing  steeds,  and  mailed  warriors  in 
ali  the  heat  of  battle,  true  as  life,  and  almost  as  large  as  life. 
As  a  work  of  art  this  has  never  been  surpassed.  You  can  enter 
these  houses,  go  up-stairs  and  down-stairs,  into  their  recep- 
tion-rooms, dining-rooms  and  sleeping  apartments.  Some  of 
them  were  elegantly  furnished  with  bronze  tables,  statues, 
bedsteads,  lamps,  and  many  other  articles.  In  some  instances 
the  walls  were  richly  frescoed,  the  coloring  still  bright,  and  of 
exquisite  workmanship  and  design. 

In  strolling  through  these  streets  you  are  impressed  with 
the  melancholy  silence  of  the  place  ;  and  this  profound  soli- 
tude awakens  in  the  heart  feelings  of  the  greatest  awe.  The 
houses  stand  in  unbroken  blocks,  with  doors  and  windows  ali 
open,  and  you  are  constantly  wondering  what  has  become  oi 
the  people,  and  why  they  don't  come  out  to  salute  you.  Of 
the  inhabitants,  many  doubtless  escaped  when  they  saw  the 
storm  gathering,  though   thousands  must  have  perished.     In 


BUKIED   CITY   OF  POMPEII.  507 

■one  street  a  woman  and  three  children  wei-e  dug  np,  perhaps 
a  mother  and  her  family;  the  mother  might  liave  es- 
caped, but  she  was  trying  to  save  her  little  ones,  and  they 
wei-e  all  buried  together.  In  another  place  a  young  man  and 
woman  were  found  in  each  other's  arms,  probably  lovers,  at- 
tempting to  escape  together,  but  death  overtook  them,  and 
wedded  them  just  there.  An  old  miser  was  found  near  his 
treasure-chests,  still  grasping  in  his  bony  hand  a  purse  of  gold. 

Another  man  was  found  sitting  at  his  table  writing  his  will. 
Heaven  willed  it  otherwise.  In  one  saloon  the  drinking  gob- 
lets were  still  on  the  counter  and  the  money  lying  untouched 
on  the  marble  slab.  In  another,  the  table  was  spread  as  for 
dinner,  but  the  guests  had  all  fled,  leaving  every  thing  behind 
them,  loaves  of  bread  still  in  the  oven,  honey  still  in  the  comb, 
wine  still  in  the  bottle,  and  in  the  stone  sink  the  cloth  was  still 
b'i"g  just  as  the  servant  had  left  it  after  drying  the  dishes, 
eighteen  centuries  before.  In  the  house  of  one  Dimond  seven- 
teen young  ladies  were  found,  dressed  as  for  some  festive  oc- 
casion, one  Math  her  hand  and  handkerchief  to  her  face,  as  if 
weeping  at  the  moment  of  her  death ;  another  had  fallen  on 
the  floor,  and  the  impression  of  her  bust  could  still  be  seen  in 
the  cold  lava.  In  the  Herculaneum  gate  the  sentinel  was  found 
in  his  box  holding  with  his  left  hand  his  tunic  to  his  mouth, 
and  with  his  right  hand  still  grasping  an  old  rusty  sword. 

A  M'oman  and  a  little  boy  about  ten  years  old  were  recovered 
in  a  narrow  street,  more  than  likely  a  mother  and  her  son,  as 
she  was  clasping  the  child  to  her  bosom,  whose  body  was  very 
much  emaciated,  leading  to  the  supposition  that  the  child  was 
very  ill  at  the  time  of  the  catastrophe.  The  woman  appeared 
to  be  a  person  of  wealth ;  on  one  arm  she  wore  two  gold  brace- 


SOS  APPENDIX. 

lets,  and  on  her  lingers  several  rings,  one  set  with  an  ametliyst, 
on  which  was  engraved  the  head  of  Mercury. 

In  one  of  the  prisons  sixty -two  skeletons  were  exhumed, 
their  feet  still  in  the  stocks,  and  rusty  manacles  on  their  arms. 
Also,  in  the  ampliitheater,  a  large  number  were  recovered, 
some  in  their  private  boxes,  others  in  the  galleries,  just  as  they 
were  suffocated  by  the  sulphurous  fumes  when  witnessing  the 
tragical  scene  enacted  on  that  occasion.  And  in  the  temples  of 
Jupiter  and  their  other  gods  many  were  found  around  the 
altars,  just  as  they  perished,  vainly  imploring  these  their  deities 
to  protect  them  from  that  terrible  storm  of  iii-e  and  of  brim- 
stone. And  so  all  over  the  city  you  can  still  see  the  footsteps 
of  the  destroyer,  and  how  sudden  and  fearful  M'as  the  over- 
throw of  Pompeii.  It  was  during  this  eruption  the  elder 
Pliny  lost  his  life,  a  graphic  descrij)tion  of  which  is  given  by 
the  younger  Pliny,  who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  scene. 

It  is  worthy  of  observation  that  in  all  this  opulent  Roman 
city,  where  so  much  culture  and  wealth  are  displayed,  there  is 
no  trace  of  any  institution  for  the  relief  of  suffering  humanity  ; 
showing  how  far  superior  our  Christianity  is  to  the  cold 
philosophy  of  paganism.  We  here  find  grand  temples  for 
their  idols,  magnificent  tombs  for  their  dead,  great  theaters  for 
their  amusement,  and  l)arracks  for  their  soldiers ;  but  nowhere 
a  hospital  or  asylum  for  their  sick  and  dying.  Only  Chris- 
tianity makes  provision  for  such. 

Equally  important  discoveries  have  been  made  recently  at 
Mycense,  in  the  peninsula  of  Greece.  Dr.  Henry  Schliemann 
has  here  found  the  old  capital  of  Argos  and  home  of  Aga- 
memnon, "  King  of  Men;"  found  the  Acropolis  surrounded 
with  its  Cyclopean  walls,  sixteen  feet  thick  ;  found  the  famous 


RECOYEKY   OF  IMYCIIN.E  A:SD  T.:'Jl'.  OOO 

*'  Gate  of  Lions  "  leading  to  the  citadel,  and  within  the  citadel 
the  old  council-chamber;  and  down  thii-ty  feet  beneath  its 
marble  floor  found  the  treasury  and  tomb  of  Atreus,  also,  the 
supposed  remains  of  Agamemnon  sleeping  in  his  golden  armor, 
surrounded  by  his  warriors,  all  clad  in  gold,  their  helmets  of  solid 
gold,  masks  of  gold  over  their  faces,  gold  stars  and  buttons  and 
foliage  on  their  dresses,  some  wearing  gold  rings  and  bracelets 
and  diadems,  others  with  breastplates  of  massive  gold,  and 
drinking  goblets,  even  the  scabbards  of  their  swords  gold. 
Such  a  profusion  of  gold  was  never  before  found  on  human 
remains.  This  city  was  destroyed  by  the  Argives,  B.  C.  ■±08, 
and  until  now  was  considered  lost  beyond  recovery. 

And  this  same  indefatigable  archaeologist  has  lately  found 
the  long  buried  city  of  Troy.  So  many  centuries  had  elapsed 
since  the  fall  of  Troy,  and  as  no  trace  of  the  place  remained 
above  ground,  many  began  to  doubt  whether  such  a  city  ever 
existed,  or  such  a  poet  as  Tlomer  ever  lived,  or  wrote  the 
^'  Iliad." 

Dr.  Schliemann  commenced  his  excavations  on  the  plain  of 
Troy,  at  Hissarlik,  a  few  miles  south  of  the  Hellespont  in 
18Y0.  I  met  him  there  the  following  spring,  still  hard  at  work, 
for  which  he  has  been  auiply  rewarded  ;  having  recovered  be- 
yond question  the  old  city  of  the  Trojans.  Being  fully  con- 
vinced that  the  hill  Hissarlik  was  the  acropolis  of  long  lost 
Ilium,  he  began  digging,  and  at  a  depth  of  six  or  eight  feet 
came  upon  the  remains  of  a  city,  but  it  was  not  classic  Troy. 
The  coins,  inscriptions,  and  other  articles  found  indicated  that 
it  belonged  to  the  Roman  j^eriod,  about  the  third  century  of 
the  Christian  era. 

He  continued  digging,  and  at  a  depth  of  about  twenty  feet 


510  APPENDIX. 

came  upon  a  second  city,  but  it  was  not  ancient  Troy.  It  be- 
longed to  tlie  stone  age,  perhaps  the  fourth  ceutury  before 
Christ.  Stone  idols,  axes,  hannners,  hand-mills,  mortars,  pes- 
tles, lance-blades,  sling-shot,  every  thing  stone.  Digging- 
through  this  second  city  he  came  at  a  depth  of  thirty  feet  to  a 
third  city,  to  historic,  renowned  Troy.  Every  thing  indicated 
a  high  degree  of  civilization.  There  M^ere  the  paved  streets, 
the  massive  walls  of  dressed  stone,  the  well-built  brick  houses, 
the  ponderous  gate-way,  and  in  front  of  it  heaps  of  human 
skeletons,  some  in  their  bronze  armor,  with  bronze  shields, 
battle-axes,  spears,  and  other  weapons ;  probably  the  soldiers 
who  fell  in  defense  of  their  citadel,  when  the  Greeks  made 
their  last  successful  charge.  Within  the  city  he  found  the 
supposed  palace  of  Priam,  and  under  its  crumbling  walls  the 
old  king's  treasure  chests  filled  with  different  articles  in  pure 
gold,  such  as  goblets  and  vases,  flagons  weighing  nearly  two 
pounds  each,  golden  diadems,  coronets,  bracelets,  chains,  rings, 
in  all  eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  flf  ty  articles  in  solid  gold. 

Through  these  streets,  probably,  brave  Hector  walked.  Here 
Paris  lived,  and  some  of  these  may  be  the  very  ornaments  once 
worn  by  the  beautiful  Helen,  The  houses  appear  to  have  been 
built  first  with  large  sun-dried  bricks,  then,  after  the  walls 
were  up,  the  bricks  were  burned  hard  by  means  of  great  wood 
fires  kindled  against  them  within  and  without.  The  floors 
were  made  in  the  same  way,  first  covered  with  soft  clay,  and 
after  drying,  burned  hard. 

But  for  a  full  description  of  these  remarkable  ruins  we  refer 
the  reader  to  the  doctor's  "  Hios." 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  was  the  ancient  city  whose 
renown  was  siing  by  Homer.     These  excavations  reveal  a  civil- 


EXPLORATIONS  IN  ASSYRIA.  513 

ization  that  must  antedate  the  present  era  at  least  fifteen 
liundred  years;  and  yet,  in  dio^ging  still  deeper  Schlieniaun 
passed  through  the  rubbish  and  ashes  of  two  other  prehistoric 
cities  that  had  been  consumed  by  fire,  and  at  a  depth  of  fifty 
feet  below  the  surface  came  upon  a  sixth  city,  dating  back  not 
less  than  two  thousand  years  before  Christ.  So  here  were 
found  six  cities,  one  above  another,  all  buried  on  the  classic 
plains  of  Troy. 

We  conclude  our  explorations  with  one  of  the  latest  and 
most  wonderful  discoveries  of  the  century. 

Berosus,  a  Chaldean  priest  of  Babylon,  in  the  third  century 
before  Christ,  compiled  from  the  records  in  the  temple  of 
Belus  a  history  of  Babylonia,  giving  what  has  long  been  known 
as  "  The  Chaldean  account  of  the  Flood."  Many,  however, 
looked  upon  the  whole  account  as  mythical,  and  treated  the 
matter  as  a  mere  legend. 

Layard,  in  his  explorations  among  the  ruins  of  JSTineveh, 
came  upon  the  grand  palace  of  Asshur-bani-pal,  the  Sardana- 
palus  of  history,  and  connected  with  the  palace  found  the 
"  Royal  Library ''  of  the  old  Assyrian  kings,  written  in  the 
wedge-character,  on  clay  tiles  and  cylinders,  some  dating  back 
very  near  the  flood.  Thousands  of  these  inscribed  tablets 
were  found,  containing  the  names  of  their  deities,  chronological 
tables  of  their  kings,  astronomical  observations,  legal  docu- 
ments, such  as  deeds,  leases  and  bills  of  sale,  royal  decrees, 
bearing  the  king's  seal ;  even  promissory  notes,  drawing  three 
and  four  per  cent,  interest,  secured  by  mortgage  on  real  estate 
with  the  names  of  the  parties  and  witnesses  affixed ;  and, 
strangely  enough,  those  who  could  not  write  made  their  mark 
in  the  plastic  clay,  very  much  as  such  documents  are  signed 
33 


514  APPENDIX. 

at  the  present  day  ;  with  many  other  records  equally  curious, 
on  all  subjects. 

These  discoveries  awakened  such  an  interest  in  Europe,  the 
late  lamented  George  Smith  was  at  once  sent  out  by  the  British 
Museum  to  make  further  explorations,  and  he  soon  found 
among  the  rubbish  of  ages  copies  of  the  original  tablets  of  the 
creation  and  deluge,  which  Berosus  had  translated  into  Greek 
more  than  two  thousand  years  before. 

These  records  are  now  in  the  Bi'itish  Museum,  but  as  many 
have  not  the  privilege  of  seeing  them  we  give  a  brief  extract 
of  those  relating  to  the  Flood. 

"God  (Kronos)  aBpearecl  to  Xisuthrus  (Noah)  in  a  vision, 
and  warned  him  tnai  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  month 
D^sius  mankind  would  be  destroyed  by  a  deluge.  He  there- 
fore directed  him  to  write  a  history  of  the  beginning,  course, 
and  end  of  all  things,  and  to  hury  it  in  Sij)para,  the  city  of 
the  Sim,  and  to  build  a  vessel,  and  take  with  him  into  it  his 
friends  and  relatives,  and  put  on  board  food  and  drink,  together 
with  different  animals,  birds  and  quadrupeds,  and  when  all 
was  ready  to  commit  himself  to  the  deep." 

Also,  a  full  account  of  the  building  of  the  Ark,  the  sending 
out  of  the  dove,  and  the  destruction  of  our  race  by  water. 
There  is  a  striking  agreement  between  these  stone  records  and 
the  Mosaic  account.  They  both,  in  creation,  represent  ''  the 
earth  without  form,  and  void,"  and  state  that  "  darkness  was 
on  the  face  of  the  deep."  In  both  "  man  is  formed  out  of  the 
dust  of  the  ground,"  and  after  the  animals  w^ere  created ;  and 
in  both  he  falls  under  strong  temptation,  is  expelled  from 
the  garden  of  Eden,  and  the  deluge  is  sent  as  a  divine  punish- 
ment for  sin. 


THE  DELUGE  TABLETS. 


515 


'Now,  what  seems  most  marvelous,  Mr.  liassam  has  just  found 
at  Balawat,  in  the  Euphrates  Yalley,  the  antedihivian  city  of 
Sippara,  the  oldest  in  the  world,  so  far  as  known  ;  has  also 
found  the  old  temple  of  the  sun -god,  and  beneath  its  altar,  in 
a  stone  cist,  or  terra-cotta  chest,  the  original  records  said  to 
have  been  buried  there  by  'Noah,  himself,  giving  us  the  history 
of  the  beginning,  progress  and  end  of  all  things  antediluvian, 
fully  identifying  this  city  and  temple,  and  carrying  us  back  in 
our  researches  beyond  the  Flood. 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


PAGE 

A.aron'8  Tomb,  Mount  Hor 106,  311 

Abraham  goes  down  to  Egypt 23 

Abraham's  offering  of  Isaac 155 

Abarim  Mountains 348 

Aboo  Simbel,  Rock-hewn  Temple.. .     88 

Achor,  Valley  of 281 

Acre,  Ancient  Accho 237 

Adonis,  River  of 441 

AduUam,  Cave  of 205-208 

Adummim,  Going  up  to   279 

Adwan  Arabs,  Ali  Diab 350 

Agrippa's  Wall 168 

Ahab  on  Mount  CarmeL 252 

Ahasuerus,  Xerxes  of  History 418 

Akabah,  Gulf  of 101 

Alexander  the  Great 33 

Alexandria,  Ancient  City 33 

Alexandria,  Modern  City 3ti 

American  Eagle 437 

Amos,  the  Prophet 210 

Amphitheater,  Ephesus 444 

Anakim,  Powerful  Race 213,  227 

Apis,  Incarnation  of  Osiris 57 

Apples  of  Sodom 296 

Aqueducts  of  Solomon, 203 

Arabs  Eating. 352 

Arab  Tribes  East  of  Jordan.  316,  325,  368 

Arak  el  Emir 356 

Aram-Naharim 401 

A.ram,  Syria 401 

4.rch,  Euce  Homo 134 

Arch,  Found  in  Egypt 73 

Argob,  the  Lejah 394 

Arguments  in  Support  of  Bible 139 

Ark  of  the  Covenant 154 

Arminian  and  Greek  Churches 117 


VAoa 

Ashdod,  Taken  by  Egyptians 229 

Askelon,  Syrian  Venus 228 

Asshur,  Son  of  Shem 404 

Assouan,  Frontier  of  Egypt 81 

Assyrian  Discoveries 404 

Athens,  Description  of 446 

Athlit,  Grand  Ruins 234 

Baalbec,  Grand  Ruins 434 

Baalbec,  Great  Stones 437 

Baal,  High  Place?  of 342 

Baal,  Image  of 386 

Baal,  Priests  Slaughtered 248 

Baal-Zephon 93 

Babel,  Tower  of,  Birs-Nimrud 416 

Babylon,  Capital  of  Chaldaea..  .404,  415 

Backsheesh 37 

Bartimeus  Receives  his  Sight 281 

Bashau,  History  of 367,  368 

Bedouins  of  the  Ghor 296 

Beelzebub,  Image  of 425 

Beer-Sheba 221 

Beirut 442 

Belka,  Land  beyond  Jordan SI 7 

Belsliazzar's  Palace 416 

Belus  River,  Discovery  nf  (ilass 2H8 

Bethany,  Home  of  Mmpv ]H:i,  -.'TS 

Bethel,  Curious  Leireml 2."nl 

Bethel,  House  of  C-.d 255 

Bethel,  Royal  City  of  Jeiohoum.. . .  2o8 

Bethlehem,  Christmas  Ceremonies..  195 

Bethlehem,  Church  of  Nativity.  193,  195 

Bethlehem,  Grotto  of  St.  Jerome.. .  196 

Bethlehem.  Inn  of 191,  194 

Beth-peor,  (in.vc  of  Moses 346 

Beth-peov,  Wm.Iv  Musa 346 


518 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


PAGE 

Bible  Statements  Confirmed 142 

Bible,  First  Translated 34 

Bible,  On  Egyptian  Monuments. ...  24 

Bishop  Gobat,  of  Jerusalem 116 

Black  Obelisk 411 

Bloody  Way 279 

Botta,  French  Consul,  Mosul 408 

Bo/.rah,  Ruins  of 877 

Bozrah,  Solemn  Reflections 378 

Brick,  Egyptian 73 

Bridge,  Over  the  Jordan 364 

Bridge,  Robinson's 151 

Burial,  Mode  of 175 

Burning  Bush. 311 

Caesarea  Palestina 233 

Csesarea  Philippi,  Banias 272 

Caliph  Mahmoud 47 

Calirrhoe,  Hot  Springs 330 

Camels  of  the  Desert 96 

Canaan,  Character  of  Country 113 

Canaan,  Grandson  of  Noah. ..  ^. ...   Ill 
Canaanites,  Settle  Palestine  . .  .110,  225 

Cana  of  Galilee 262 

Capernaum,  Khan  Minyeh 264 

Carmelite  Monks 245 

Carmel,  Mount 244 

Cdrob-tree,  Locust  and  Husk 199 

Castle  of  Zion,  Tower  of  David 175 

Cataracts  of  Nile 82 

Cedars  of  Lebanon 439 

Center  of  the  World 183 

Cesnola,  General,  U.  S.  Consul 417 

Champollion,  Egyptologist 29 

Cheops,  Builder  of  Great  Pyramid. .     45 

Cherith,  Brook 281 

Christianity,  Planted  in  Alexandria .     35 

Chronology,  Harmonized 26 

Church  of  Holy  Sepulcher 160 

Church  of  the  Empress  Helena 193 

Church  of  the  Nativity 193 

City  of  the  Great  King 123 

Cleopatra's  Needle 33 

Cienaculum,  Last  Supper 177 

Coins,  Ancient  Jewish 312 


Colossi,  Amunoph  III 76 

Constantine's  Basilica 160,  165 

Consuls,  Duties  of 116 

Convent  of  Mar  Elyas,  Carmel 246 

Convent  of  St.  Catherine 99 

Convent  of  St.  John 197 

Crucifixion,  Solemn  Mockeries 185 

Cyprus,  Island  of 417 

Cyril,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem 166,  176 

Damascus  Gate,  Jerusalem 254 

Damascus,  Great  Mosque 432 

Damascus,  Oldest  City  in  the  World  431 

Daniel,  Tomb  of 419 

David  Cuts  off  Saul's  Robe 209 

David  in  Cave  of  Adullam 205 

David,  Tomb  of 178 

Dead  Sea,  Great  Depression 294 

Dead  Sea,  Remarkable  Phenomenon  302 

Delilah,  Betrays  Samson 228 

Desert  of  Arabia 380 

Diana,  Temple  at  Ephesus 443 

Dibon,  Ancient  Capital  of  Moab.. . .   339 

Dogs,  Dogmatic 37 

Dome  over  Holy  Sepulcher.    .  .170,  431 

Donkeys  of  Alexandria 37 

Dragon  Cast  out  of  Heaven 414 

Dromedary  Riding 96,  271 

a  Peculiar  People 895 


Easter  Festivities ....  183 

Ebenezer,  Stones  of  Witness 311 

Eece  Homo,  Arch 134 

Ed  Deir,  The  Convent,  Petra 196 

Edrei,  Ancient  Capital  of  Bashan. . .  396 

Egyptian  Sculpture 24,  25,  58,  72 

Ekron,  Worship  of  Beelzebub 228 

Elijah's  Grotto,  Mt.  Carmel 246 

Elijah's  Sacrifice,  Site  of 247 

Elisha  at  Dothan 262 

Elisha,  Mocked  by  Children 257 

Elisha  Plowing 334 

El  Kuzneh,  Petra 105 

Emmaus 128 

Engedi,  Wilderness  of 309 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


519 


PAGE 

Ephesus,  Ruiu3  of 443 

Er  Rahah,  Plain  of 99 

Rsdraelon,  Plain  of 247,  262 

Eshcol,  Valley  and  Grapes 214 

Esther,  Queen 418 

Ethiopia,  Nubia 83 

Evangelist,  Derivation  of  Name 445 

Exodus,  Departure  from  Egypt. ...  90 

Exodus,  Pharaoh  of 54 

Ezion-Geber 101 

Feet- washing  Ceremony 184 

First-born,  Cut  off 56 

Fishing  in  Wady  Waleh 334 

Flint  Knives 284 

Fountain  of  Elisha,  Jericho 287 

Frederick  Barbarossa,  Red-Beard. . .  243 

Frescoes,  Ancient 290 

Fulfillment  of  Prophecy.89,  229,  243,  303 

Gadara 363 

Ganneau,  M.  Clermont 340 

Gates  of  Bronze,  Nineveh 410 

Gate-way  of  Sik,  Petra 105 

Gath,  City  of  Goliath 236,  232 

Gaza,  Samson's  Death 227 

Geological  Formation,  Jordan  Valley  302 

Gerizim  and  Ebal,  Mounts 261 

German  Colony,  Haifa 235 

Gethsemane  and  Olivet 138,  278 

Giant  Cities  of  Bashan 370 

Giant  Races 366 

Gibeah  of  Benjamin 255 

Gilead,  Balm 364 

Gilead,  Land  of 360 

Gilgal,  Plain  of 283 

Golden  Gate  Temple 146 

Golgotha,  Adam's  SkulL 168 

Granite  Quarries  of  Syene 81 

Great  Sea,  Under  Temple  Platform.  147 

Gulf  of  Suez 91 

Hadrian,  Emperor 164 

Hadrian,  Head  of 427 

Hadrian,  Tomb  of 428 


PASI 

Haggai's  Seal 154 

Hanging  Gardens  of  Babylon 416 

Haran,  City  of  Nahor 401 

Hattin,  Battle  of 263,  323 

Ilauran,  Journey  Through 373 

Hebrews  Making  Brick,  Egypt 25 

Hebron,  Ancient  Arba 213 

Helena,  Empress 164,  193 

Heliopolis,  Grand  Temple 43 

Heliopolis,  Obelisk 43 

Heliopolis,  On  of  Scripture 42 

Hermon,  Mount,  Snow  Storm . .  275 

Herod,  the  Great 178,  211,  289 

Herodias  and  Herod  Antipas 327 

Herodium,  Tomb  of  Herod 178,  854 

Heshbon,  Fish  Pools 319 

Hezekiah,  King  of  Judah 409 

Hieroglyphics,  Egyptian 28 

Hill  Country  of  Judea 197 

Hippieus,  Tower  of 169 

Hiram,  King  of  Tyre,  Tomb 241 

Holy  Family,  Flight  into  Egypt.  ...  23 

Holy  P'ire,  Wild  Fanaticism 187 

Holy  of  Holies,  Temple  of  Karnak..  66 

Homeward  Bound 431 

Hyksos  or  Shepherds 225 

Hyrcanus  I.,  Robs  David's  Tomb.  178,  364 

Idols  of  the  Egyptians 30 

Inscribed  Cylinders,  Assyrian 414 

Inscribed  Rocks 100 

Inscribed  Tablets  of  Deluge. . . 412 

Inscriptions,  Moabite 419 

Inscriptions,  Old  Hebrew 422 

Island  of  Philte,  Nile 86 

Israel,  Land  of 110 

Jacob,  at  Bethel 256 

Jacob  meets  Rachel 403 

Jacob's  Name  Changed  to  Israel. . .  109 

Jacob  Settles  in  Egj-pt 23 

Jacob,  Well  of 258 

Jaffa,  Ancient  Joppa 119 

Jaffa,  Difficulty  of  Landing 120 

Jaffa,  Oldest  Sea-port ll? 


.20 


GENERAL    ESTDEX. 


PASE 

Jaffa,  Population  and  History 120 

Jaffa,  Up  to  Jerusalem 122 

Jebel  Hauran 368 

Jebel  Usdum,  Mountain  of  Sodom. .  297 

Jephtha's  Vow 352 

Jerash,  Mahanaim 362 

Jericho,  Down  to  278 

Jericho,  House  of  Zacchaeus 283 

Jericho,  Singular  Tradition 288 

Jeroboam's  Golden  Calf 268 

Jerusalem  a  Buried  City 128 

Jerusalem,  City  of  David 123 

Jerusalem,  First  Impression 127 

Jerusalem,  Great  Antiquity 124 

Jerusalem,  Present  Population 116 

Jerusalem,  Solemn  Reflection 123 

Jewish  Tombs 172 

Jews  in  Jerusalem 118 

Jezebel,  Thrown  to  the  Dogs 262 

Job,  Character  and  Writings 391 

Job,  Traditional  Home   389 

John  Baptist,  Baptizes  Christ..  199,  284 

John  Baptist,  Birthplace 197 

John  Baptist,  Diet  of 200 

John  Baptist,  Beheaded 327,  432 

John  Baptist,  Preaching 198 

Jonah's  Tomb,  Neby  Yiinus 408 

Jordan,  Pilgrims  Bathing 284 

Jordan,  Source  of 272,  275,  282 

Joseph  in  Egypt 65 

Joseph,  Tomb 258 

Jupiter  Amon,  Egyptian  God 62 

Jupiter,  Temple,  Baalbec 437 

Kddesh-bamea 106,  222 

Karnak,  Great  Temple 61 

Kamak,  Hall  of  Ancestors 65 

Karnak,  Hall  of  Columns 64 

Kedron  Valley 135 

Kerak,  King,  Sacrifices  his  Son 324 

Kerak,  Kir-Hareseth  of  Bible 320 

Kerioth 381 

Khan  Jubb  Yusuff,  Joseph 268 

Khan  Minyeh,  Capernaum. 264 

Khan,  Oriental  Inn 194 


Khedive  of  Egypt ..35,39 

King's  Highway 348,  419 

Kirjath-Arba,  Hebron 213 

Kishon  River  and  Valley 238 

Knights  of  St.  John 233,  238 

Knight  Templars 159,  280 

Kunawat,  Kenath  of  Bible 383 

Laban,  the  Syrian 401 

Lake  Huleh,  Waters  of  Merom 268 

L?nd  of  Beulah 317 

Land  of  Ham 83 

Land  of  Israel,  Under  Solomon. . .  110 

Last  Judgment,  Egyptian  Sculpture.  86 

Layard,  Great  Explorer 408 

Legends,  Assyrian. 413 

Legends,  Mohammedan. .  .169,  288,  334 

Lehi,  Hill  of,  Samson's  Jaw-bone. . .  '  230 

Lejah,  Trachonitis,  Argob 394 

Levitical  Cities,  Plan  of..    .      .422,423 

Library,  Alexandrian 35 

Lion's   Den,  Babylon 416 

Locusts  and  Wild  Honey 199 

Locusts,  not  Eaten  in  Palestine 201 

Lot's  Daughter 300 

Lot's  Wife,  Pillar  of  Salt 298 

Luxor,  Ruins  of 61 

Lynch,  Lieut.,  Report  on  Dead  Sea.  303 

Macarius,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem. ...  164 

Machffirus,  Fortress  and  Castle 325 

Machaerus,  Prison  of  John  Baptist. .  327 

Machpelah,  Cave  of 172,  217 

Magdala,  Home  of  Mary  Magdalene  264 

Magi,  Their  Country 392 

Mahanaim,  Jerash 362 

Mamelukes  Massacred 48 

Mamre,  Plan  of 214 

Manoah's  Sacrifice  and  Tomb.  .229,  231 

Mariamne,  Wife  of  Herod 306 

Marieite  Bey,  Egyptologer 28 

Mark  Twain's  Logic 26 

Mar's  Hill,  Athens 447 

Masada,  Fortress 305 

Maudslay  Henry,  Archaeologist.  177 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


521 


PAOI 

Mausoleum  of  Apis 57 

Medemet  Haboo,  Temple 68 

Melchizedek,  King  of  Salem 145 

Memphis,  Capital  Lower  Egypt. ...  53 

Menephtab,  Pharaoh  of  Exodus 64 

Meribah-Kadesh 106,  223 

Mesopotamia  in  Syria 401 

Methodius,  John,  Old  Church 899 

Michmash,  Jonathan's  Adventure..  257 

Mite,  Widow's 312 

Mount  Calvary 167 

Mount  Carmel 244 

Mount  Gilead 850,  352 

Mount  Moriah 145 

Mount  Tabor 248 

Mount  of  Temptation, 290 

Moabite  Images 345 

Moabite  Stone 337 

Moabite  Vase  and  Pottery 420 

Moab,  Land  of 815 

Mohammed  AU 35 

Monastic  Life 290 

Moreh.  Plain  of 258 

Mordecai's  Gate  and  Tomb 419 

Moses  Dies  on  Pisgah 346 

Mosque  el  Aksa 159 

Mosque  of  Omar 157 

Mummy  Pits,  Egypt 54 

Musmeih,  Ancient  Phaeno 400 

Naaman's  House 432 

Nablous,  Ancient  Shechem 261 

Naboth's  Vineyard 262 

Names,  Significance  of 94 

Napoleon's  Cruelty  at  Jaffa 120 

Napoleon's  Repulse  at  Acre 237 

Natural  Bridge,  Lebanon 442 

Nazareth,  Home  of  Jesus 262 

Nebo,  Mount  and  City 342,  347 

Necropolis  of  Egypt 54 

Nejrdn,  Lejah 396 

Nestorians 376 

Ninevah,  Ancient  Capital  Assyria. .  404 

Ninevah,  Interesting  Discoveries. . .  409 

Noble  Cave,  Well  of  Spirits 152 


TAQm 

Oak  of  Abraham 216 

Oaks  of  Bashan. 868,  8&7 

Obelisk  of  Heliopolls. 48 

Obelisk  of  Kamak. 66 

Og,  King  of  Bashan 868,  899 

Olivet,  Mount 163 

Omar  Calif 157 

Ophir,  Gold  Mines  of. 101 

Oriental  Khan,  Inn 194 

Oriental  Scenes 88,  241 

Origan,  Grave  of. 242 

Oman  the  Jebusite 146 

Osher  Tree,  Apple  of  Sodom. 296 

Padan-Aram 401 

Palestine  in  Relation  to  Egypt 23 

Palestine,  Origin  of  Name 224 

Palestine,  Present  Condition. 118 

Pan,  Temple  and  Grotto 278 

Papal  Occupancy  of  Jerusalem 118 

Paradise,  Location  of 276 

Pasha  el  Jezzar,  Cruelty  of 288 

Passage  of  Red  Sea y3 

Passover  Instituted 28 

Patriarchs,  God's  Covenant  with. . .  109 

Pella,  Christians'  Flight  to 362 

Peniel,  God  Appears  to  Jacob  at.. .  109 

Petra,  Ancient  Edom 101 

Pharoah's  Army  Destroyed 95 

Pharos  of  Ptolemy 34 

Pharpar  and  Abana 402 

Philip's  Fountain 196 

Philistines,  Extinct  Race 226 

Philistines,  Plain  of  Philistia 224 

Philistines,  Royal  Cities  of 226,  228 

Phoenix,  Legend  of 42 

Pi-hahiroth 93 

Pilgrims  Bathing  in  Jordan. 284 

Pilgrims  to  Tomb  of  Christ 169 

Pisgah,  Mount  Nebo 342 

Pisgah,  Springs  of 343 

Pisgah,  Outlook  From 348 

Pompey's  Pillar 35 

Pool  of  Hezekiah 170 

Pool  of  Siloam 184,  202 


522 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


PACK 

Pools  of  Solomon 203 

Porter,  Rev.  J.  L.,  Giant  Cities 375 

Protestants  in  Jerusalem 116 

Pyramids  of  Ghizeh 46 

Quarantania,  Mount  of  Temptation.   290 

Quarries  of  Syene 81 

Quarries  Under  Jerusalem 148 

Queen  of  Sheba 110 

Rabbah  Ammon 318 

Raboth  Moab,  Ancient  Ar 319 

Rachel's  Tomb 193 

Rahab  the  Harlot 288 

Railroad  to  Persian  Gulf 288 

Railroad  Up  the  Nile 81 

Rameses  II.,  Statue  of 53 

Rameses,  Site  of  the  City 92 

Ramesium,  Colossal  Statue 74 

Rassam,  Mr.,  Archaeologist 408 

Raynald  Chatillon,  Lord  of  Kerak . .  323 

Rehoboam,  Son  of  Solomon 67 

Relics  of  the  old  Egyptians 27 

Religion  of  the  Hebrews 30 

Religion  of  the  old  Egyptians 30 

Religious  Fanaticism 187 

Rich,  Mr.,  English  Traveler 408 

Ridgaway,  Dr.,  Lord's  Land,307,  325,  347 

Rizpah  Guarding  her  Sons'  Graves.  255 

Robbers'  Retreat,  Arbela 264 

Robinson's  Bridge 151 

Rock-hewn  Tombs 174 

Roman  Roads 319,  329,  334 

Rosetta  Stone,  Discovery  of 29 

Salcah,  Citadel 379 

Samaria,  Ruins  of 262 

Samson,  Birthplace,  Zorah 229 

Samson,  Exploits  of ^30 

Samson,  Death  and  Burial 231 

Sardanapalus,  King  of  Assyria 409 

Sargon's  Palace  Recovered 407 

Scientific  Investigations 139 

Sculpture,  Assyrian. 408,  410 

Sealed  Fountains 202 


TAOt 

Sea  of  Galilee 268,  267 

Sennacherib's  Palace 408 

Sennacherib's  Library 413 

Sepp,  Dr.,  of  Prussia 242 

Serapeum,  Great  Temple 57 

Shalraaneser  II.,  Palace  of 410 

Sharon,  Plain  of 233 

Shiloh,  Tabernacle  Set  Up 258 

Shushan,  Ruins  of 418 

Simon  the  Tanner's  House 426 

Sinai,  Mount,  Ras  Sufsafeh 99 

Smitten  Rock 223 

Smith,  George,  Eminent  Orientalist  408 

Smyrna 443 

Smyrna,  One  of  the  Seven  Churches  448 

Smyth,  Piazzi,  Theories 50 

Snow  Storm  on  Lebanon 276 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah 297,  299 

Solomon's  Great  Wisdom 110 

Solomon's  Temple,  Site  of 151 

Sons  of  the  Prophets,  Grotto 246 

Solomon's  Wife,  Pharaoh's  Daughter     23 
Solomon's  Gardens,  Wady  Urtas. ..   205 

Solomon's  Pools 203 

Sphinx,  Legend  Concerning 51 

Stone  of  Foundation 152 

Stone  Houses 371 

Storm  on  Lebanon 439 

Strong  Towers 384 

Strong,  Dr.  James 316,  847 

Stork,  Sacred  Bird 445 

Suez  Canal 39 

Suez,  Crossing  of  the  Israelites 93 

Suez,  Gulf  of 91 

Subeideh  Castle,  Phoenician 275 

Suweideh,  Ruins  of 383 

Sulphur  Springs,  Zurka  Mdin 333 

Synagogue,  Masada 307 

Talmudic  Account  of  Temple 152 

Tax  Collectors,  Extortion 114 

Tell  el  Kady,  Ancient  Dan 268 

Tent  Life  in  Holy  Land 112,  253 

I  Thebes,  No  Amon  of  Scripture 60 

The  East,  Country  East  of  Jordan..   391 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


523 


PASK 

Threshing  Floor  of  Araunah. 145 

Threshing  Machine,  American 237 

Tiberius 263 

Tombs  of  the  Kings,  Egypt 78 

Tomb  of  Tih,  Egyptian 58 

Tomb  of  Patriarchs 216 

Tomb  of  Christ 166 

Tomb  of  David 176,  178 

Tomb  of  Judges 173 

Tomb  of  Joshua. 180 

Tomb  of  Stephen 182 

Tomb  of  Bishop  Kingsley 442 

Tomb  of  Joseph 173 

Tomb  of  Rachel   192 

Tomb  of  Kings,  Jerusalem 173 

Transfiguration,  Mount  of 275 

Turkish  Rule  in  Palestine 114 

Turkish  Soldiers 115,  187 

Turkish  Bath 434 

Tyropceon  Valley 145,  151 

Tyre,  Interesting  Discovery 241 

Tyre,  Cathedral  of 242 

Upper  Room,  With  Plan. 177 

Ur,  of  the  Chaldees 401 

Drim  and  Thummim 163 

Dz,  Land  of 889 

Uz,  Founder  of  Damascus 389 


Valley  of  Ajalon, 122 

Vases,  Egyptian 72 

Vases,  Moabite 420 

Vaults  Under  Temple  Platform,. . .  142 

Veiled  Women 38 

Virgin's  Fountain 202 

Virgin  Mary  Visits  Elizabeth 197 

Vocal  Memnon 75 

Vyse,  Col.  Howard 48 

Wady  Mojib,  River  Arnon 820 

Wady  Musa,  Valley  of  Mosee 844 

WadyTawarik 93 

Wady  Mukatteb 100 

Walk  about  Zion 133 

Wailing  Place  of  Jews 129 

Wells  of  Moses 95 

Wells  of  Abraham 222 

Well  of  the  Leaf 159 

Widow's  Mite 812 

Wilderness  of  Wandering 101 

Winged  Globe 63 

Winged  Lion 408 

Women  Grinding  at  Mill 136 

Ziz,  Cliff  of 310 

Zodiac,  Temple  at  Denderah. 28 

Zoar.  Site  of 800 


INDEX   TO   APPENDIX. 


PAGE 

Alexander  the  Great 473-476 

Alexandria,  Burning  of. 468 

Agamemnon's  Tomb. 509 

Ancient  Graves — Ur 500 

Antiquity  of  Egypt 452 

Arabi  Bey 468 

Ararat,  Mount 499 

Armageddon,  Battle  of. 486 

Agnostic  Age 487 

Argos,  Old  Capital  of. 508 


Ash-beds  of  Israelites'  Canip*fires. .  492 

Battle  of  Tel-el-Kebir 470 

Babel,  Tower  of 501 

Bartlett,  Dr.  S.  C 492 

Belus,  Temple  of 501 

Berosus,  Priest  of  Belus 513 

Babylonian  Empire 473 

Belzoni's  Tombs 452 

Bortouin  Arabs 466 


524 


INDEX    TO    APPENDIX. 


PAGE 

Birs-Nimroud 505 

Boaz  and  Jachin,  Pillars  of 504 

Barsippa,  Tongue  Tower 501 

Burniug  Furnace 496 

Brinsh  in  Egypt 470-4S3 

Cairo,  Capital  of  Egypt 462 

Creation  Tablets,  Chaldean 514 

Citadel  of  Cairo 462 

Cleopatra's  Needle 459 

Conquest  of  Egypt,  B.C.  572 461 

Cyrus  the  Persian 476 

Darius  the  Mede 494 

Daniel's  Vision 475 

Dayr  el  Baliree,  Late  Discoveries. .  452 

Diana,  Temple  at  Ephesus 491 

Deluge  Tablets 514 

Dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar 472 

Embalming  the  Dead 456 

Embalmed  Apis 456 

Egypt,  Population  of 466 

Egypt's  Future 470 

Egyptian  Mode  of  Burial 457 

Egyptian  Soldiers 467 

Explorations,  Assyrian 513 

FellalK?en  Arabs 467 

Flag  of  the  Prophet 482 

Flood  of  Noah 514 

Golden  Image  of  Belus 504 

Golden  Ornaments  found 509,  510 

Gog  and  Magog 485 

Goat,  with  Notable  Horn 476 

Granaries,  Egyptian 489 

Grecian  Empire 473-477 

Islamism,  Overthrow  of 483 

Inscriptions,  Ancient 502-514 

Ishmaelites  and  Arabs 466 

Jewish  Prophets 47 1 

Well,  Cairo 465 


Jordan  Valley,  Volcanic  formation.  494 

Kaaba,  Mecca. 481 

Kingdom  of  Christ 474 

Khedive  of  Egypt 462 

Laud  of  the  Pharaohs 451 

Lion's  Den 499 

Layard's  Discoveries 513 

Little  Stone  Kingdom 474 

Lot's  Wife,  Pillar  of  Salt 493 

Mohammed's  Tomb 478,  482 

Mohammed  Ali,  Viceroy 461 

Mamelukes  Slaughtered 465 

Maspero,  Professor 457 

Mohammedanism,   Rise  of 477 

Monuments  of  Egypt 452 

Mecca,  Pilgrimage  to 481 

Mizraim,  Hebrew  for  Egypt 451 

Medes  and  Persians 473 

Mugheir,  Ancient  Ur 500 

Mummies  of  the  Old  Pharaohs. . . .  455 

Mycenas  Ruins  of 509 

Obelisk  in  Central  Park 459 

Oppert,  Dr.,  Archgeologist 496 

Palace  of  Sardanapalus 513 

Pompeii  and  Herculaneum 505 

Prehistoric  Cities 510-515 

Prophecy  Fulfilled !  461-484 

Pyramid  of  Cheops 491 

Ram  with  Two  Horns 475 

Revelation  Confirmed 495,  499,  514 

River  of  Egypt — Nile 451 

Roman  Empire 473-476 

Royal  Library,  Assyrian  King 513 

Sakara,  Pyramids 457 

Saracens 461-475 

Sabbath,  Observance  of. 499 

Secret  of  Masonry 460 

Schliemann,  Dr.  Henry 508 


INDEX    TO    APPENDIX. 


PAGE 

Senoiissi.  Moslem  Messiah 467 

Sculptui-e,   E;4 yptiaii 488 

Sippara,  Oldest  City  Known 515 

Sphinx,  Colossal 489 

Sinaitic  Inscriptions 492 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah 494 

Southern  Cross 490 

Temple  of  Sais,  Egypt. 460 

Temple  of  the  Moon,  Ur 500 

Tower  of  Syene 451 


Tower  of  Babel,  Rebuilt 502 

Tombs  of  the  Kings 452 

Tomb  at  Sakara,  Interior 458 

Troy,  Recovered 509 

Ur  of  the  Chaldees 500 

Winged  Lion,  Assyrian 475 

Wilderness  of  Wandering 493 

Women  of  Egypt 468 

Wolseley,  Sir  Garnet 469 


LIST  or  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  APPENDIX. 


PAGE 

Assyrian  Explorations 497 

Bedouin  Lances 467 

Birs  Ximroud,  Tower  of  Babel 504 

Cairo,  from  the  Citadel 463 

Cairo,  Suburbs  of 449 

Cyhnder  Seal,  Assyrian 500 

Embalmed  Apis 456 

Egyptian  Granaries 489 

Mohammed's  Tomb 479 

Nile  Valley,  during  Inundation 453 

Palace  of  Sardanapalus,  Restored 511 

Tomb  at  Sakara,  Interior 458 

Avenue  of  Sphinxes — Karnak 515 


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